Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Trade to OKC Considered NBA’s Worst Modern Deal

Posted : 04 February 2026

Over the years, NBA history has seen a series of puzzling trades that dismantled teams and allowed rivals to rise to championship success. While Luka Doncic’s move from Dallas to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis often comes up in discussions of poor trades, many analysts argue that other deals in recent decades have had even more lasting impact.

Historically, trades such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from Milwaukee to the Lakers in 1975, Julius Erving from the Nets to Philadelphia, Wilt Chamberlain’s moves, and Moses Malone’s transfer to the Sixers stand out. These trades not only affected the players’ careers but also transformed their new teams into championship contenders. Other notable deals, such as Charles Barkley to Phoenix, were lopsided but did not produce titles.

In the modern era, draft-day trades like Scottie Pippen to Chicago, Vlade Divac for Kobe Bryant, and Dirk Nowitzki to Dallas all carried huge potential but were uncertain at the time. While these moves eventually led to championships, they came with the caveat that no one could have predicted the players’ future success.

By contrast, the 2019 trade that sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and multiple draft picks, including one used to select Jalen Williams, to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Paul George is widely regarded as a misstep. Gilgeous-Alexander has since won an MVP award, led OKC to a championship, and helped the team achieve the league’s best record, while George’s career with the Clippers was marred by injuries and inconsistency.

The context of the trade involved the Clippers recovering from the Donald Sterling controversy and the departures of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan. Kawhi Leonard’s demands—including a maximum salary, a share of Toronto’s hockey team, and assurances of winning—led the Clippers to acquire Paul George as a package deal. Steve Ballmer, aiming to make the Clippers the premier team in Los Angeles, agreed to meet Leonard’s demands.

Despite initial expectations, George struggled to fit into the Clippers’ lineup alongside Leonard, while Gilgeous-Alexander blossomed in Oklahoma City under general manager Sam Presti. Presti, known for his sharp management and rebuilding acumen, secured multiple draft picks and a franchise cornerstone in Gilgeous-Alexander, ensuring a competitive team for the next decade.

George signed a four-year, $190 million contract with the Clippers but only reached the Western Conference Finals once. Injuries and age began to take a toll, and by June 2024, he left for Philadelphia on a $212 million deal over four years. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City and Indiana leveraged their assets to contend for the championship, leaving George’s former team underperforming and demonstrating the long-term impact of the trade.

The Gilgeous-Alexander deal serves as a cautionary tale in the modern NBA, illustrating how one transaction can shift the balance of power for years and define a general manager’s legacy.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Trade to OKC Considered NBA’s Worst Modern Deal

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