Paul George congratulates Thunder on NBA championship he helped them win
As the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate their first NBA championship, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams were the catalysts to one of the most dominating teams in league history. Not only are they tied at the hip because they're your classic All-Star duo, but they were acquired in the same trade.
That, of course, is the 2019 Paul George blockbuster that sent him to the LA Clippers. The Thunder shocked the NBA world when they sent George to LA to team up with Kawhi Leonard. Everybody thought the deal meant that the Los Angeles Lakers' little brother would finally get their own moment in the spotlight.
Instead, the Thunder were the team that could stem back to the trade for their eventual championship. Gilgeous-Alexander was acquired, but the draft picks package was the real headliner. OKC owned LA's first-round picks through most of the 2020s.
The first was their 2022 first-round pick that ended up in the lottery after they lost in the play-in tournament. That pick turned in Williams. And the rest was history.
Even if Clippers fans are still upset about the deal, there's no sour grapes from George. He moved on from LA and and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers last offseason. The multi-time All-Star congratulated the Thunder on their championship in his latest "Podcast P" episode.
"Shout out Sam Presti," George said. "Shout out Clay Bennett. Shout out Oklahoma. Still got love for that organization. They deserve it."
Even though George spent just two seasons with the Thunder, his biggest contribution was in the transaction window rather than on the court. He kicked off a lengthy title window and could be looked back on as the NBA's Herschel Walker. It's nice to see him be a good sport about it.
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