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In a move that nobody saw coming, the Oklahoma City Thunder traded All-Star and MVP candidate Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers. According to reports, PG had asked OKC to trade him a couple of weeks ago, which is surprising considering the fact that no rumors about it had been reported by NBA insiders.
The Thunder are moving on from the PG era that spanned two seasons. Was it really a good decision for the team to trade George?
There are some pros and cons, but it was the right decision for OKC. Let's look at some of the reasons why.
OKC got a haul of picks and assets from the trade
OKC received four unprotected future draft picks: the Clippers' 2022, 2024 and 2026 first-round picks, and the Miami Heat's 2021 pick.
A lottery-protected 2023 first-round pick.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari.
Losing George hurts OKC's chances of contending for a championship, but if this trade means anything, the team has already given up on competing for titles in the foreseeable future. The record-setting returns the Thunder got from the Clippers indicates they are preparing to rebuild.
Getting five future draft picks plus two mid-tier role players is a good start for the Thunder. They will be able to rebuild through the draft once again. Remember, they were able to find three MVPs in the draft — Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook — so OKC's front office is familiar with this kind of situation. It will be a long, painful process, especially since the team has been so good for the past decade, but with the right decisions, the Thunder will be back in contention.
They will not win with George, Westbrook
If OKC learned anything from the past two seasons, it's the fact that not all star-studded teams can win championships. The Thunder tried to build a superteam two years ago when they traded for George and Carmelo Anthony. On paper, it looked really good; teaming them with Westbrook gave the Thunder hope they could hang with the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets.
Unfortunately for them, it didn't work. The team struggled to give three ball-dominant players equal opportunities. Melo never wanted to come off the bench. Westbrook struggling to shoot 3-pointers made it more difficult for the team. The Thunder lost in the first round of the playoffs against the Utah Jazz.
Last season, OKC traded Melo and formed a big three of Westbrook, George, and Steven Adams. It seemed to have worked because, for the majority of the season, the Thunder held the third spot in the Western Conference, but the team struggled to win late in the season. The Thunder ultimately finished sixth in the standings, and then lost in the first round to the Portland Trail Blazers.
OKC had an option to continue with George and Westbrook, but with the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets bolstering their rosters, the Thunder also understood that it might end in another disappointment, which is why they let go of PG and jump-started their rebuild.
There's no sense in keeping a disgruntled star
When George asked for a trade from OKC, it was reported by several sources that he was no longer happy with the team. The Thunder could've tried to make things work. George still had two guaranteed years on his contract. But the Thunder knew that keeping PG when he wanted out would put them in an uncomfortable situation.
They probably looked at what happened to Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors, where there were constant rumors about the two-time Finals MVP leaving the team. Yes, KD kept playing for the Dubs, but he still left for the Brooklyn Nets.
OKC doesn't want to be in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Trading George now made a lot of sense.
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The Thunder have been one of the best teams in the league for almost a decade, but from the Durant-Harden-Westbrook trio to the era of Melo and George, they were unfortunate to not win a championship.
Now, it's time for them to start over. It may take a long time before we see the Thunder as serious title contenders again, but at this point, it's the best route for them to take. Fans can only hope there will be better results in the future.
