Did Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer trade away a future MVP for nothing?
In 2019, the Clippers sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a mountain of draft picks to OKC for Paul George, hoping to build a dynasty with Kawhi Leonard.
Six years later, Shai’s an MVP, OKC’s a powerhouse, and Paul George plays for the Philadelphia 76ers
Was this the worst trade in NBA history? Let’s break it down with stats and draft impact.
July 2019, and the Clippers want to land Kawhi Leonard, fresh off his NBA Finals MVP with Toronto. Kawhi tells Steve Ballmer. ‘Get me Paul George, or I’m signing with the Lakers. Ballmer the billionaire owner goes all-in.
The Trade
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a promising rookie, Danilo Gallinari, a solid starter with an avg. 19.8 points that season, five first-round picks from 2021 to 2026, and two pick swaps in 2023 and 2025. That’s was a massive haul for Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager Sam Presti.
Clippers got Paul George in return coming of his third place in MVP voting that season. Kawhi and PG were seen as the ultimate two-way duo to bring L.A. Clippers their first title.
Now, let’s talk about those draft picks—the real game-changer. OKC got five first-rounders and two swaps, and they’ve already cashed in big. Here’s what they got so far NBA.com:
- 2021 (via Miami, No. 18 pick): Tre Mann, a scoring guard. He averaged 9.3 points as a rookie but fell out of OKC’s deep rotation and was traded to Charlotte in 2024. Solid, but not a star.
- 2022 (Clippers’ No. 12 pick): Jalen Williams, aka J-Dub. This was a home run. In 2024–25, he’s averaging 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, shooting 47.8% from the field. He’s OKC’s second-best player and a budding All-Star at 24.
- 2024 (Clippers’ pick): Dillon Jones, a rookie who’s played 54 games, averaging 5.2 points off the bench. Too early to judge, but he’s a rotation piece.
- Still to come: A 2025 pick swap landing the 24th pick in this year’s NBA draft.
Compare that to the Clippers, who got one Western Conference Finals appearance in 2021 but no title. Those picks fueled OKC’s rebuild, giving them flexibility to add players like Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso.
Results Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is this NBA MVP and Paul George left the Clippers to play in Philadelphia with the 76ers.
I can’t say it was the worst trade in NBA history. It’s definitely in the Top 5 category of bad trades.
Oklahoma City Thunder are only two games away from surpassing what the Clippers achieved in 2020. A Western Conference title and a trip to the NBA Finals.
I have to salute Ballmer for his willingness to go all in. Sometimes it pays off this time it didn’t.
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