The Oklahoma City Thunder are officially headed to the 2025 NBA Finals, ending a decade-long drought since their last appearance. Between Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder had Hall of Fame star power in 2012, but they were too early in their careers.
They'll look to right the ship this time around with another young trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams -- a trio that potentially may never have formed had Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers not forced Paul George and the Thunder into an early playoff exit in 2019.
Of course, George infamously later referred to Lillard's game-winner as a "bad shot." So, how did we get from Lillard taking a bad shot over George to Oklahoma City becoming a powerhouse in 2025? Let's rewind.
Ripple effects of Lillard’s game-winner are still shaping the NBA landscape
In last year's Finals, the Trail Blazers played a direct role in the Boston Celtics constructing their lethal roster, shipping over difference-making guard Jrue Holiday. This year, they are still indirectly impacting the outcome.
If the Indiana Pacers advance to the Finals, this will be known as the "Paul George Finals," as both the Pacers and Thunder constructed their roster using key assets received in their respective George trades.
Indiana sent George to Oklahoma City, getting Victor Oladipo and rising star Domantas Sabonis in return. They later traded Sabonis to Sacramento for Tyrese Haliburton -- a deal initially viewed as a rare win-win, but now, it has one clear winner. Haliburton continues his ascension with several clutch shots, and question marks surround whether you can build a contender around Sabonis' player archetype.
The Thunder were even bigger beneficiaries of their George fallout, receiving what is shaping up to be one of the most lopsided deals in the history of the NBA. In exchange for George, the Clippers sent SGA, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks, and two pick swaps. To make matters worse, the 2022 first-round pick turned into co-star Jalen Williams.
What makes the deal even more impressive for general manager Sam Presti is that typically, when a star requests a trade to a specific team, they lose negotiating power. However, the Thunder's situation was unique in that they had leverage because landing George also meant Kawhi Leonard coming over in free agency, and they exploited that opportunity to set themselves up as the NBA's next potential dynasty.
One year earlier, George committed to a four-year, $137 million max contract with the Thunder, deciding to run it back with Russell Westbrook after a first-round exit to the Utah Jazz. So the fact that he wanted to play at home and pair with Leonard wasn't surprising, but the timing was. It suggests that George was torn between his hometown ties and "the bond and loyalty he felt to Westbrook and the Thunder."
Maybe George would still decide to return home even if the Thunder make a deep playoff run or push the Trail Blazers further in the series. But if he felt they were legitimate contenders, there'd be much more to consider.
We'll never know how that timeline plays out, thanks to Damian Lillard's bad shot in Game 5.