In the aftermath of a 105-92 win against his former team on Saturday, Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander opened up on the night that everything changed in his NBA career. During a post-game chat with the media, he reflected on his trade from the Clippers in 2019 and said he has no regrets over how it played out.
“I had a great year here when I was here,” said Shai via Brandon Rahbar. “Their front office made a trade that they thought was better for their team, and so did the Thunder. And the last five years I have tried to focus on my development and the team’s development and to be the best player I can be for the Oklahoma City Thunder. I’d say it worked out in my favor.”
It feels like an eternity ago now, but there was a point when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 26, was considered the future of the Clippers franchise. Back in the 2018-19 campaign, he averaged 10.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on 47.6% shooting. The Clippers knew they had a special player, but they had no choice but to let him go in the summer of 2019.
Kawhi Leonard was a free agent that year and he was only willing to sign with the Clippers on one condition: if they traded Shai to the Thunder for Paul George. The Clippers, who were desperate for star power, complied with Kawhi’s demands and they gave up the haul of the century in exchange for George. The total package included Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and multiple future first-round picks.
By trading Paul George and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder were able to skip a long rebuild and recoup assets in the form of young players and draft picks. Shai has been their greatest success story but they’ve also landed on several key contributors in the draft, including Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Aaron Wiggins.
Together, the Thunder have become a formidable foe in the West, complete with star power, depth, and a system that plays to the strengths of their best players. Last season, with the best record in the West, they made a run to the West Semis before being eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks.
This season, with mostly the same roster, it’s tough to say how much more we can expect from this team but with most of their top guys being so young it makes sense that they will take another leap. For Shai, this campaign may turn out to be his best after such an impressive run last season.
Shai has not only found a home with the Thunder, he’s found a permanent sanctuary for his career and a place where he can establish a borderline dynasty in the West. He’s in a better situation than he could have dreamed of and that trade from the Clippers all those years ago is what initially set him on this path to greatness and he has no regrets over how it’s played out.
Shai and the Thunder will face off against the Clippers again later this month, on November 11th at 8 PM EST in Paycom Center. It will be the second of three meetings this season.
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