The Los Angeles Clippers had a future superstar and MVP on the roster in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during the 2018-19 campaign, but chose not to develop him.
Instead, the franchise elected to trade him, along with Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks, and the rights to two first-round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Paul George on July 10, 2019.
It’s fair to state the Clippers lost the trade miserably, as Gilgeous-Alexander has not only ascended into stardom with the Thunder but also helped the organization win its first championship in 2025. Meanwhile, George departed the Clippers after five seasons and underachieved from a team success perspective.
On Monday, Gilgeous-Alexander continued to make Los Angeles look silly for giving up on him by making NBA history that’s never been done by a point guard.
“Shai Gilgeous-Alexander now has the most games in a season by a PG with 30+ PTS & 0 TOV,” Real App revealed on X/twitter after a routine Gilgeous-Alexander masterclass (30 points, three assists, and zero turnovers).
Imagine what the Clippers would look like today if they had stuck with the 27-year-old four-time All-Star.
Considering the Clippers were in win-now mode when Gilgeous-Alexander was still a baby in the big leagues, the move appeared to be logical at the time.
However, it’s clear now that George wasn’t the answer to Los Angeles’ problems, likely causing them to consider what could have been with arguably the best player in the NBA.
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