ESPN includes two Thunder trades in 15 biggest trades in the last 20 years article
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps broke down and ranked the 15 biggest trades in NBA history in the last 20 years.
The purpose of the article is to serve as a reference point as to what type of package the Brooklyn Nets might receive in a hypothetical Kevin Durant trade.
While the Oklahoma City Thunder won’t join the Durant sweepstakes, the team was included in two of the 15 trades that were mentioned. Let’s take a look at them and what ESPN had to say about both trades the Thunder were involved in as they were jumping off points to the current rebuild the team is going through.
No. 8: Russell Westbrook to the Rockets
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This trade occurred in 2019 as the Thunder sent out Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul and four first-round picks that are either top-four protected or swaps.
“While Westbrook and Paul were already surefire Hall of Famers, when this deal was consummated in 2019 Paul was coming off an injury-plagued season in Houston and still had more than $100 million owed to him. That was why it took a boatload of picks and swaps from Houston for OKC to agree to the deal.
But Paul played brilliantly in Oklahoma City, leading the Thunder to a surprise No. 5 seed in 2020 before being traded a year later. The Thunder played this perfectly, amassing a war chest of picks that they are only just now beginning to use, netting guard Josh Giddey and center Chet Holmgren in the past two drafts.”
No. 2: Paul George to the Clippers
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The second trade involved the blockbuster that saw the Thunder ship out Paul George to the LA Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and seven first-round picks that are either unprotected or swaps.
“By getting Paul George from the Thunder, the LA Clippers essentially were getting two superstars in one trade, as the deal helped pave the way for Kawhi Leonard to join the Clippers in free agency.
That allowed Thunder general manager Sam Presti to extract a gigantic haul from the Clippers, including control of their drafts for a five-year span in addition to then 20-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander. In three seasons with OKC, Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 20.6 points, 5.5. rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, shot 38% from deep and become the face of the team’s rebuild.
The Clippers did make their first conference finals in 2021 but spent last season waiting for Leonard to return from a torn ACL he suffered in that 2021 playoff run.
With Leonard out, the Clippers missed the playoffs this year, providing the Thunder with the No. 12 pick, which they used to select wing Jalen Williams from Santa Clara.”
