“That was no-brainer to me”: Ty Lue remains unapologetic on trading Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for Paul George

The LA Clippers received a ton of flak in the summer of 2019 for trading Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the OKC Thunder for Paul George. LA sent SGA, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps for an established star. The intensity of the criticisms increased last season when Gilgeous-Alexander won MVP and led the Thunder to the championship.

On “Club ShayShay” with host Shannon Sharpe, Ty Lue, then an assistant coach with the Clippers, had this to say about the trade:

“Who would not have traded a first-year player for a guy like PG [George] to a team with Kawhi [Leonard]? Anybody would have done that. They lying if they said they wouldn’t. … That was a no-brainer to me.”

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Lue insisted that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was an emerging star whom the Clippers traded for an MVP candidate. Reports also came out that when Kawhi Leonard signed with the team, the Clippers promised Leonard they would acquire a second star. George, who comes from LA and is a good friend of the two-time NBA Finals MVP, was one of their best options.

Ty Lue added that nobody knew SGA would become an MVP and pushed back against critics relying on their 20/20 hindsight.

The LA Clippers were bona fide championship contenders when Leonard and George were simultaneously healthy. But since they struggled to shake off the injury bug, the duo could not fulfill LA’s potential. George eventually left the Clippers last season after the team refused to give him a long-term max extension.

Doc Rivers once claimed Clippers had to trade for Paul George at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s expense

Ty Lue wasn’t the only former LA Clippers coach who claimed the team needed to trade for Paul George. Doc Rivers, who led the coaching staff, spoke to NBA greats Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on the “KG Certified” podcast about the trade.

Rivers had this to say when asked by Garnett about his thoughts on the franchise-altering deal:

“When we did the trade, I told Sam [Cassell], I said, ‘Man, I know we gotta do this trade, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is gonna be a superstar, man.”

Rivers claimed that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would have been great even if he had stayed with the Clippers. They eventually made the trade because they were in win-now mode, which might not have happened in SGA’s second year with the team.

The Canadian developed as many expected, which turned the Thunder franchise.

Meanwhile, the Clippers retooled again under Lue and are still looking for their first franchise championship.

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Michael Macasero

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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