Remember that huge Clippers trade for Paul George, sending Shai Gilgeous-Alexander packing? Everyone’s got an opinion now, but Tyronn Lue is NOT backing down. He even compared the move to building a ‘Jordan-Pippen’ duo! Was it a genius move or a colossal mistake in hindsight?

The pivotal 2019 trade that reshaped the Los Angeles Clippers’ future, involving Paul George and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, continues to spark debate, with head coach Tyronn Lue staunchly defending the franchise’s decision.

In the summer of 2019, the Los Angeles Clippers made a monumental move, sacrificing a substantial cache of draft assets and multiple players to acquire the then-superstar Paul George. This bold maneuver was engineered to pair George with Kawhi Leonard, aiming to establish an instant championship contender in the competitive NBA landscape.

However, this high-stakes deal also meant parting ways with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a promising young talent who had only completed his rookie season. While Gilgeous-Alexander had shown glimpses of his potential, few at the time could foresee the future MVP-caliber player he would become. This retrospective view often fuels criticism of the trade, but Tyronn Lue offers a different perspective.

Tyronn Lue, who later took the helm as the Clippers’ head coach, recently articulated his unwavering belief in the trade during an interview with Shannon Sharpe. Lue emphasized the context of the time, likening the acquisition of Paul George to pairing a “Jordan-Pippen” duo with Kawhi Leonard, highlighting George’s status as a top-tier two-way player and an MVP finalist that season in the NBA.

Lue acknowledged Gilgeous-Alexander’s talent but argued that his exceptional development into an MVP candidate was, paradoxically, facilitated by the trade. He contended that had Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remained with the Los Angeles Clippers, he would not have enjoyed the primary ball-handling and first-option role he subsequently thrived in with the Oklahoma City Thunder, which was crucial for his growth as a superstar, a key piece of basketball analysis.

The coach further dismissed hindsight-driven criticisms, posing the rhetorical question of who wouldn’t have traded a first-year player for an established superstar like Paul George to team up with Kawhi Leonard. At the time of the Clippers trade, George was a six-time All-Star, averaging 28.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, and finished third in MVP voting, making him one of the most coveted talents in the NBA.

In stark contrast, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s rookie season statistics of 10.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds, while solid, offered little indication of his future superstardom. The sheer value of Paul George necessitated the Clippers’ substantial asset expenditure. This landmark Clippers trade, in retrospect, dramatically recalibrated expectations for acquiring star players in the NBA trade market, even if it’s now widely considered one of the most lopsided deals in recent basketball analysis.

Although Tyronn Lue was not with the Los Angeles Clippers when the trade for Paul George transpired in 2019—he joined the franchise as head coach a season later—his insights underscore the long-term strategic thinking behind such a high-profile transaction. The ongoing debate surrounding this pivotal moment in Los Angeles Clippers history highlights the complex interplay of immediate impact versus future potential in the NBA.

Ultimately, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has blossomed into an undeniable force, Lue’s conviction remains: given the circumstances and information available at the time, the bold move to secure Paul George was the right call for the aspiring championship contender.