Oklahoma City Thunder: Complete grades for the 2019 NBA offseason
By Alec Liebsch
Paul George pivot
And what a pivot it was. While the rest of the NBA frantically scrapped for free agency rumors (that definitely weren’t tampering), Kawhi Leonard played 3-D chess and worked behind the scenes to find his superstar partner.
It just so happened that Paul George was the running mate he chose. And while the league was focused on nearly half its player universe changing jerseys, the Oklahoma City Thunder and LA Clippers worked out a deal that will change the NBA landscape for years to come.
Even with both sides knowing that George wanted to go to Los Angeles, Presti was able to build up leverage against LA by bringing the Raptors into the fold.
Several reports have stated that the Thunder offered George and Westbrook to Toronto, though the feasibility of such a trade is shaky at best.
Either way, OKC was able to leverage the Clippers into paying the price for not just George, but Leonard too.
This created an immense trade package going back to OKC, including: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, argued as the most valuable young asset in the league; four unprotected first round picks (four!); one protected first rounder; and two first round pick swaps.
That’s a gargantuan trade package, especially for a player who didn’t want to be there anymore. Props to George for keeping it quiet to maximize leverage, but considerable praise has to go to Thunder brass. Well done.