Doncic won 10 straight games 37 12 11 air slashes to set a new record, and his heart-piercing performance attracted much attention!
Five years after the transfer between George and Alexander, it's time to revisit that move. Yes, Alexander is a strong contender for the MVP and the Thunder are number one in the West, but in this deal, the Clippers didn't lose and the Thunder didn't win. Objectively speaking, is this deal a winner or a loser?
George had a very good season with the Thunder in the summer of 2019, not only becoming an All-Star, but also starting both times. Then, the Clippers gave the Thunder another invitation, and they asked the Clippers to provide Alexander, Gallinari, two first-round picks, and three first-round picks to fulfill George's promise: "There are a few teams that want me to go." George went to the Clippers, Leonard went to the Clippers, and the Clippers players were free to pick their own players.
Five years have passed in a flash, and there is a problem with the contract between George and the Clippers, while Alexander's Thunder team is constantly improving, and they are now on par with the Forest team and become the first in the West, but their record is worse than that of the Forest team. Alexander was nominated for the Most Valuable Player nomination, and the ** were expecting Alexander to earn the MVP because of his tremendous contribution to the team's rise. In such a comparison, it seems that the Clippers lost first, but is it really fake?
The reason why the Clippers want to trade George away is that Leonard has already released a word, he hopes to cooperate with George, and named George, which is why the Clippers used George to attract Leonard. Of course, there is another reason, and that is that the Clippers are also interested in George. But George is two superstars, and it would be too difficult to buy him without spending money. The Clippers, on the other hand, sold Alexander because of the request of the Thunder Club. Alexander's trade was to trade George Galenard.
Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said of the transfer that Alexander was the last person on the team who wanted to give up. But the Clippers can't give up because the Clippers have no other choice.
When the Clippers traded Alexander, many people regretted it, but Alexander's growth was something that no one expected. Alexander was the No. 11 in the 2018 draft, and he finished with the 108 points 28 rebounds 33 assists 12 steals and 47 shots6% and 36 percent from three-point range7%。He's going to be a superstar in the future, but he's a little worse than George.
In the 2019-20 season, the Thunder swapped Alexander and Alexander's coach Paul. Although Paul was traded to the Suns a year later, Alexander is still the best player in the league, averaging 19 points per game and 59 rebounds, 33 assists 11 steal, the second season, he has scored more than 20 points, and last season, he also scored more than 30. Alexander's progress has taken many by surprise, and so have the Clippers.
Aside from the two points mentioned above, George has somewhat met the Clippers' expectations for a superstar. For example, in the 2021 playoffs, the Clippers lost to the Jazz in the Western Conference Final Four, and Leonard also lost to them, while George led the Clippers to a 2-2 victory over the Jazz in the final two games, which is also the Clippers' history in the Western Conference finals"Breakthrough of zero"。After that, he led the Clippers to six defeats of the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals. Despite the ongoing injuries and the long way to go in the negotiations for a new contract, George's value to the Clippers is positive.
Eventually, George became a link between the Clippers superstars. When Wei Shao was still in the Thunder, he and Wei Shao formed a deep friendship, and this friendship continued until the Clippers, after Wei Shao left the Lakers, he also strongly asked to sign Wei Shao. He's also Harden's bond with Leonard, and the Clippers wouldn't have lost to the Kings if it weren't for him. It wouldn't work without George.
Overall, this trade between the Clippers and the Thunder can be described as a win-win situation. Both sides are currently in contention for the title, with George and Alexander the best candidates in their squad. Even if Alexander gets the MVP, it is a consolation for the Clippers. What are your thoughts?