Paul George has long been one of the best players in the NBA, but playoff success has somewhat eluded him throughout his career. George was able to lead the Indiana Pacers to some deep playoff runs early in his career, but LeBron James and the Miami Heat prevented him from reaching the NBA Finals. After playing for the Pacers, George was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He formed an incredible duo with Russell Westbrook there, and there is a case to be made that his individual prime was in Oklahoma City. However, the Thunder weren't able to get past the first round with George on the roster.
Playoff disappointments remained a regularity for the forward whose nickname switched from “Playoff P” to “Pandemic P” as he struggled in the postseason with the Los Angeles Clippers. George now suits up for the Philadelphia 76ers, and his former teams have thrived without him. The Thunder and Pacers will face each other in the NBA Finals, and both can look back at trading George as a reason why they got this far.
So, what were the moves involving George that led to this NBA Finals matchup?
Pacers' Paul George trade leads to a championship-caliber roster
Indiana Pacers shooting guard Paul George (24) warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. The Pacers defeated the Mavericks 98-77.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
All in all, George spent seven seasons in Indiana after he was drafted 10th overall in 2010, and he became one of the best players in Pacers history during his tenure with the team. George made four All-Star teams and twice led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals while he was their best player. The forward from Fresno State could truly do it all. He stands 6-foot-8, yet he has a silky smooth game that includes a clean handle and a pure jump shot. George also thrives on the defensive end. Had it not been for an offseason leg fracture in 2014, George likely would have done even more in Indiana.
PG-13 eventually returned to form after the injury, but the Pacers were forced to trade him, as it seemed clear that he wouldn't stay in Indiana for the long run. George only had one year left on his deal in 2017, the team's playoff core had already started to break up, and rumors suggested George wanted to play in his hometown of Southern California.
This led the Pacers to trade their star to Oklahoma City. In exchange, the Pacers added Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo. Neither player is still on the roster, but they both had solid runs with Indiana.
How was the Pacers' roster built?
Oladipo was a former second overall pick who finally started to live up to his potential in Indiana. He made both of his All-Star appearances with the team. He even won the Most Improved Player of the Year award in a season where he averaged 23.1 points per game.
Unfortunately, Oladipo tore his quad in his second year with the team, and injuries led to his career demise. Sabonis, who was traded to the Pacers ahead of his sophomore season, also emerged as a star in Indiana. His interior scoring, advanced passing, and rebounding prowess made him a triple-double machine and one of the best big men in the sport. Sabonis also made two All-Star teams while suiting up for the Pacers.
Oladpio was eventually included in the James Harden-to-Brooklyn Nets trade, which involved four teams. The Pacers landed Caris LeVert in the trade, and LeVert was eventually flipped again for the picks that became Ben Sheppard and Andrew Nembhard. Both players are a part of Rick Carlisle's playoff rotation, which often runs 11 players deep. Nembhard, in particular, has become one of the most underrated players in the NBA and helped shut down Jalen Brunson in Game 6 against the New York Knicks.
Sabonis was also traded, and his move had a more direct impact on the team. The Lithuanian-American was traded alongside Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson. That trade was questioned at the time from the Sacramento Kings' perspective, and history has justified that the Pacers fleeced their trade counterpart. Sabonis has continued to excel in Sacramento, but Haliburton was an emerging star at the time that he was dealt. He has since become one of the best point guards in the NBA, and his Pacers are now playing in the NBA Finals.
The original George trade didn't directly lead to the Pacers reaching the NBA Finals, but it led to a string of moves that built up the roster to what it is today. George was traded for Sabonis, who was traded for Haliburton, who has become the team's best player. Sheppard and Nembhard also suit up for the Pacers because the team was the first to trade George.
Thunder create a potential dynasty after trading Paul George
Article Continues Below
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George (13) between plays during the first half of game six of the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
Russ Isabella-Imagn Images
The Thunder traded for George knowing that he wanted to play in Los Angeles and only had one year left on his contract. He was such a great fit, though, that he ended up signing a long-term deal with the Thunder after his first season with the team. In Year 1, George averaged 21.9 points per game, but he really exploded the following season.
In Year 2 in Oklahoma City, George was in both the MVP race and Defensive Player of the Year conversations. He finished third in voting for both of those awards after averaging 28 points per game. Despite the massive season from George and Westbrook still being an MVP-caliber player, the Thunder decided to hit the reset button because the duo couldn't get past the first round.
George's trade value was at an all-time high, and the Thunder were able to net one of the biggest trade returns in NBA history when they sent their star to the Clippers to team up with Kawhi Leonard. In return for George, the Thunder received Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks, and two first-round pick swaps.
How has the Paul George trade worked out for the Thunder?
At the time, Gilgeous-Alexander was coming off a solid rookie season in which he averaged 10.8 points per game, but nobody knew that he would become what he has become with the Thunder. That is, of course, the MVP of the entire league. Gilgeous-Alexander is arguably the best mid-range shooter, foul-drawer, and rim finisher for a guard in the entire NBA. He has averaged above 30 points per game for three straight seasons now.
Gilgeous-Alexander wasn't the only star the Thunder would receive in what became one of the biggest trade fleeces ever, though. The Clippers' 2022 first-rounder was used to select Jalen Williams, a forward from Santa Clara who made his first All-Star Game this season.
Other draft picks that have already conveyed turned into Tre Mann and Dillon Jones. Mann is no longer with the team, but he was a favorite of his teammates while the Thunder were transitioning from a rebuilding team to contenders. Jones was the team's second first-rounder in 2024, and while a deep roster prevented him from making much of an impact as a rookie, the Weber State product still has tons of potential.
Two more of the picks will convey in the 2025 NBA Draft, as the Thunder will select in the Miami Heat's spot at 15, and they are swapping picks with the Clippers to move up to pick 24. Oklahoma City is already heavily favored to win the championship, and the rich will get richer this offseason, especially because the Thunder have thrived in evaluating and developing youngsters. The Clippers still owe the Thunder another pick next year, too.
The Thunder have the makings of a dynasty. Because they traded George, they directly added an MVP, his co-star, and a treasure trove of draft capital so deep that they have arguably more trading firepower than any other team in the NBA. It isn't hard to envision this OKC core winning multiple titles.