Trade Verdicts
NBA Trade Verdict

Even Trade

Indiana traded Paul George to Oklahoma City for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, creating two exceptional asset chains that later reached Tyrese Haliburton on one side and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plus extensive draft control on the other.

July 6, 2017 Indiana Pacers / Oklahoma City Thunder Record confidence: High

Indiana Pacers Received

Oklahoma City Thunder Received

Indiana Pacers

A+

Oklahoma City Thunder

A+

Trade Analysis

Indiana Traded a Departing Star Without Entering a Long Rebuild

Paul George had informed the Pacers that he did not plan to remain beyond his contract, sharply reducing Indiana's negotiating leverage. The team accepted Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis from Oklahoma City, a return widely criticized at the time. Both players expanded immediately in larger roles. Oladipo became an All-NBA guard and Most Improved Player, while Sabonis developed into a multiple-time All-Star. Indiana replaced one departing star with two future stars and returned to the playoffs without bottoming out.

Sabonis Extended the Return Into the Haliburton Era

The transaction remained valuable after Oladipo's injuries altered his career. Sabonis became the Pacers' offensive hub and eventually served as the central asset in the 2022 trade for Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton then led Indiana to the 2025 NBA Finals. That chain does not mean George was directly traded for every later player, but it does show that Indiana preserved and redirected value across multiple roster cycles instead of allowing the original return to expire.

Oklahoma City Received an MVP-Caliber Season From George

The Thunder accepted the risk that George could leave after one year, paired him with Russell Westbrook, and convinced him to re-sign. In 2018-19, George earned first-team All-NBA honors and finished third in MVP voting while producing elite scoring and defense. Oklahoma City did not achieve its desired playoff breakthrough, but it acquired and retained a genuine superstar. The basketball return exceeded the ordinary value of a rental and justified the aggressive decision.

The Clippers Trade Multiplied Oklahoma City's Outcome

When George later requested a move to the Clippers, the Thunder received Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks, and two swap rights. The size of that package was influenced by the Clippers' pursuit of Kawhi Leonard, but Oklahoma City could only exploit that leverage because it controlled George. The original Pacers trade therefore became the first step in one of the largest asset conversions in league history.

Both Teams Turned Pressure Into a New Foundation

Indiana was pressured by George's impending free agency; Oklahoma City later faced his request to join Los Angeles. Each franchise responded by extracting a return that reshaped its future. The Pacers received two All-Stars and the asset chain leading to Haliburton. The Thunder received an MVP-level season and the package that produced Gilgeous-Alexander plus extensive draft control. This is not a case in which one side's success requires minimizing the other.

Equal A-Plus Grades Fit Better Than a Forced Edge

The earlier Slight Pacers Edge verdict credited Indiana's difficult circumstances, but Oklahoma City's realized return now stands at the same level. George re-signed, played at an MVP-caliber level, and became the trade asset that launched the Thunder's next contender. Indiana likewise avoided a collapse and preserved value into a Finals core. Equal A-plus grades and an Even Trade verdict reflect two extraordinary asset chains created from the same exchange.

Final Verdict

This is an Even Trade with A-plus grades for both teams. Indiana turned a departing Paul George into Oladipo and Sabonis, received two All-Star outcomes, and eventually converted Sabonis into the Haliburton-led era. Oklahoma City received an MVP-caliber season from George and later converted him into Gilgeous-Alexander, Gallinari, five firsts, and two swaps. Each franchise transformed a pressured star situation into a new competitive foundation. No artificial winner is necessary when both realized outcomes reached this level.

For Hardcore NBA Heads

The Paul George Trade Produced Two of the NBA's Strongest Asset Chains

The rarest successful trades do more than improve the next season. They preserve enough value to survive injuries, requests, and another change in direction. Indiana's return moved from Oladipo and Sabonis to Haliburton. Oklahoma City's return moved from George to Gilgeous-Alexander and a historic draft package. The original two-player exchange became a branching point for two franchises, each of which used the acquired value to build a later contender. That symmetry makes the deal exceptional.

Oladipo's First Indiana Season Changed the Public Judgment

Oladipo arrived with questions about efficiency and ceiling, then became the primary scorer, an All-Star, an All-NBA selection, and the league's Most Improved Player. His breakout helped the Pacers win 48 games and push Cleveland to seven games in the first round. The immediate success mattered because it restored confidence after George's exit. Indiana did not ask fans to wait several years for evidence that the return could work; the evidence arrived in the first season.

Sabonis Became the Durable Link in Indiana's Chain

Sabonis began as the less celebrated part of the return but developed into an elite rebounder, screener, and passing center. He earned multiple All-Star selections and gave the Pacers a valuable player under control when the roster needed another reset. His eventual trade for Haliburton demonstrates why development is part of trade value. Indiana did not merely receive Sabonis' production; it retained a premium asset capable of becoming the next franchise centerpiece.

George Gave Oklahoma City More Than a Rental

The Thunder took the initial risk because George could have left in 2018. His decision to re-sign validated the organization's environment and transformed the asset from a one-year gamble into a controlled superstar. The following season was the best of his career. Playoff disappointment limits the team achievement, but the individual return and renewed contract control were enormous. Oklahoma City acquired a star, persuaded him to stay, and later moved him at peak leverage.

The Clippers Package Changed the Scale of the Original Deal

Gilgeous-Alexander became a franchise player, while the picks and swaps supplied Oklahoma City with years of optionality. The Clippers were effectively paying for both George and the ability to sign Leonard, which increased the return beyond a normal one-star price. That context does not reduce Oklahoma City's credit. The Thunder recognized the leverage, demanded a transformative package, and connected the 2017 acquisition directly to the roster and asset base of its next era.

Even Does Not Mean the Outcomes Were Identical

Indiana's success came through development and value preservation under the threat of losing George. Oklahoma City's success came through star acquisition, retention, and a later sale under extraordinary leverage. The paths were different, and the benefits arrived on different schedules. An even verdict simply means neither realized package deserves to be placed below the other. Both teams receive A-plus because each converted pressure into a multi-generation return that helped create a future contender.

Final Verdict

Indiana and Oklahoma City both receive A-plus. The Pacers obtained two future All-Stars, remained competitive, and carried the Sabonis asset into the Haliburton era. The Thunder received a first-team All-NBA version of George and later turned him into Gilgeous-Alexander and extensive draft control. The original Slight Pacers Edge no longer captures the full realized outcome on Oklahoma City's side. Even Trade is the stronger verdict because both organizations built exceptional, durable asset chains from the exchange.

Research sources (5)