Tyronn Lue has addressed one of the most scrutinized trades in recent NBA history.
Speaking on Club Shay Shay, the Los Angeles Clippers coach reflected on the 2019 blockbuster deal that sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a haul of draft picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Paul George.
Lue made it clear he has no regrets about the decision. “No, I didn’t and we talked about it all the time, and 30 GMs or presidents, if it would have been done all over again, I would have done the trade too,” Lue said, via ClutchPoints.
He explained that George was at the peak of his career when the Clippers acquired him. “PG was second in MVP voting. Two-way player. It was like Jordan and Pippen,” Lue said. “And Shai was a really good young player, but you didn’t know he was gonna be this.”
The deal paired George with Kawhi Leonard, who had just led Toronto to a championship. Lue defended the move, saying the franchise was chasing immediate contention.
“Anything in hindsight is 20/20,” Lue added. “Anybody would have done that. They’re lying if they’re saying they wouldn’t. Shai now? It’s not a question, but that was a no-brainer to me.”
Since the trade, Gilgeous-Alexander has blossomed into one of the league’s top players. The 27-year-old just completed a historic 2024–25 season with the Thunder, winning league MVP, Finals MVP, and the scoring title while leading Oklahoma City to its first championship since moving from Seattle.
He averaged 32.7 points per game in the regular season and added 29.9 points in the playoffs. Gilgeous-Alexander’s Finals performance, capped by a Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers, cemented him as one of the NBA’s premier stars.
The Clippers, meanwhile, never reached the NBA Finals during the Kawhi–George era, struggling with injuries and playoff exits. George departed in 2024 to join the Philadelphia 76ers, while Leonard remains in Los Angeles.
Lue’s comments highlight the difficult balance between chasing titles in the present and investing in young talent for the future. While the Clippers fell short of a championship, the Thunder’s patience with Gilgeous-Alexander delivered historic results.
The debate over the 2019 trade will remain a pivotal “what if” in NBA history, but for Lue, the choice was justified at the time.
