The Paul George trade tree finally has its last major branch on the board.
With the Clippers' 2026 first-round pick used at No. 12 on Aday Mara, the Oklahoma City return from the 2019 George blockbuster is no longer just a pile of future assets. It is a finished picture, and it looks massive.
The headline pieces are obvious. Oklahoma City got Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the original deal and later used the Clippers' 2022 first-rounder, No. 12 overall, on Jalen Williams. Those two became the best players on the Thunder team that won the 2025 NBA Finals.
The rest of the return kept compounding.
Danilo Gallinari helped the 2019-20 Thunder reach the playoffs, then was sign-and-traded to Atlanta for a 2025 second-rounder that became Brooks Barnhizer. A Heat first eventually turned into Tre Mann, who was later moved in the Gordon Hayward deal. Another Heat-linked first conveyed at No. 15 in 2025 and became Thomas Sorber.
There were also swaps and side paths. The Clippers' 2025 swap moved Oklahoma City from No. 30 to No. 24, and that pick was later redirected into a 2027 protected first from San Antonio. The 2024 Clippers first was moved in a separate chain that brought Oklahoma City 2028 swap rights tied to Dallas.
The Clippers did get real value from George: three All-Star seasons, a 233-157 record while he was on the roster, and a 2021 Western Conference Finals run. But George left for Philadelphia in 2024.
Oklahoma City is still living off the deal. SGA, Jalen Williams, Sorber, Mara, Barnhizer and more future draft control is an absurd final receipt.
No comments yet. Start the conversation.