The Ultimate Retrospective: 5 Reasons Why The Paul George Trade Is The Clippers' Most Painful Mistake

The 2019 blockbuster trade that brought Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers, a move orchestrated to pair him with superstar Kawhi Leonard and instantly establish a championship contender, has finally reached its painful conclusion in the 2024 offseason. Five years after the deal that mortgaged the franchise's future, the Clippers are left with a massive void, a barren draft cupboard, and zero NBA Finals appearances, solidifying the transaction as perhaps the most lopsided trade in modern NBA history. The recent departure of George, who opted out of his contract and reportedly signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, serves as the final, agonizing chapter of the '213 Era' promise.

The high-stakes gamble, driven by the desire to appease Leonard and secure a second elite star, cost the Clippers a generational talent in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a valuable veteran in Danilo Gallinari, and an unprecedented haul of future draft capital. This article delves deep into the full cost, the players involved, and the long-term, devastating legacy of the trade that continues to fuel the Oklahoma City Thunder’s resurgence.

Paul George: Biography and Career Profile

Paul Clifton Anthony George Sr., known widely by his initials PG, is an American professional basketball player celebrated for his two-way excellence as a premier scorer and elite perimeter defender. His career trajectory has seen him evolve from a young star in Indiana to a perennial All-Star.

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• Full Name: Paul Clifton Anthony George Sr.
• Born: May 2, 1990 (Age 34 as of late 2024)
• Hometown: Palmdale, California
• College: Fresno State (2008–2010)
• NBA Draft: 2010, 1st Round, 10th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers
• Primary Position: Small Forward / Shooting Guard
• Career Teams: Indiana Pacers (2010–2017), Oklahoma City Thunder (2017–2019), Los Angeles Clippers (2019–2024), Philadelphia 76ers (2024–Present)
• Key Career Awards & Honors (Entities):
  • 9× NBA All-Star
  • 6× All-NBA Team (1st Team once, 3rd Team five times)
  • 4× NBA All-Defensive Team (1st Team twice, 2nd Team twice)
  • NBA Most Improved Player (2013)
  • Olympic Gold Medalist (2016)
  • NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2011)

The Staggering Price: What The Clippers Actually Traded

The July 2019 trade was a move of pure desperation and ambition, designed to secure Kawhi Leonard’s commitment by acquiring his preferred running mate, Paul George. The Los Angeles Clippers, under the direction of owner Steve Ballmer, bypassed traditional trade negotiation tactics and gave the Oklahoma City Thunder a historic package of assets. The sheer volume of unprotected draft capital was meant to be a 'godfather offer' that Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager Sam Presti could not refuse.

The full trade package sent from the Clippers to the Thunder included the following high-value assets:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA): A promising young guard and the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, who has since blossomed into a perennial MVP candidate and one of the league's most dynamic scorers.
• Danilo Gallinari: A high-scoring veteran forward who was a key piece of the Clippers' 2019 playoff team.
• Five Unprotected First-Round Draft Picks:
  • 2022 (Unprotected, via Clippers)
  • 2024 (Unprotected, via Clippers)
  • 2026 (Unprotected, via Clippers)
  • 2021 (Unprotected, via Miami Heat)
  • 2023 (Unprotected, via Miami Heat)
• Two First-Round Pick Swaps:
  • 2023 (Right to swap picks with Clippers)
  • 2025 (Right to swap picks with Clippers)

This unprecedented collection of seven first-round assets (five picks and two swaps) was the largest draft pick haul ever traded for a single player at the time. The intention was clear: sacrifice the future for an immediate, guaranteed championship window.

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The Legacy of Loss: How OKC Turned Clippers' Picks Into a Dynasty Foundation

The true pain of the Paul George trade for the Clippers is not just the lack of a championship, but the extraordinary success the Oklahoma City Thunder have built with the acquired assets. General Manager Sam Presti masterfully used the draft capital to accelerate the Thunder's rebuild, turning a single trade into the foundation of a new, young powerhouse.

The rise of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the centerpiece of the Thunder’s success. After being traded, SGA immediately became the face of the OKC franchise, evolving into a First Team All-NBA player and MVP candidate. His ascent has made the Clippers' decision to trade him after just one season look catastrophic in retrospect.

Beyond SGA, the draft picks have yielded multiple key contributors for the Thunder:

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• Jalen Williams: Drafted with the 12th overall pick in 2022 (via the Clippers), Williams has emerged as an elite two-way wing and a core player alongside SGA. He was a runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award.
• Tre Mann: Drafted with the 18th overall pick in 2021 (via the Miami Heat), Mann was a solid rotation player before being used as a trade asset to acquire additional draft capital.
• Future Assets: The Thunder still hold the Clippers' unprotected 2026 first-round pick and the right to swap picks in 2025, ensuring the trade's influence extends well into the second half of the decade.

The Thunder’s current roster, featuring SGA and Williams, is one of the youngest and most exciting teams in the NBA, poised for a long run of contention, while the Clippers' draft board remains empty for the foreseeable future. This juxtaposition has led many analysts to label the Paul George trade as one of the worst team-altering deals in league history.

The Final Blow: Paul George's 2024 Free Agency Exit

The retrospective on the trade reached its most critical point in the summer of 2024. The entire rationale for the trade—to win a championship with the Paul George and Kawhi Leonard duo—was predicated on maximizing their five-year window. However, the duo's tenure was plagued by injuries, inconsistent chemistry, and a failure to reach the NBA Finals, with their deepest run being the 2021 Western Conference Finals, which George played without an injured Leonard.

The ultimate failure of the gamble was confirmed when Paul George opted out of the final year of his contract with the Clippers, valued at $48.8 million, to become an unrestricted free agent. Negotiations for an extension reportedly stalled, with George seeking a max contract that the Clippers were hesitant to offer, given his age and injury history.

His reported signing of a four-year, maximum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers leaves the Clippers with nothing to show for the massive price they paid. They sacrificed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and seven first-round assets for five seasons of a star who departed for a rival team in free agency, without even the compensation of a sign-and-trade. The Clippers are now forced to re-evaluate their entire strategy with Kawhi Leonard, facing a long-term future without their draft capital and with a sudden need to replace a top-tier scorer.

In the end, the Paul George trade is a cautionary tale of prioritizing a short-term, win-now mentality over long-term stability. The Clippers' '213 Era' ended not with a bang, but with a quiet, expensive walk-off, leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder to reap the long-term rewards.