Unstoppable! Thank you, Clippers! The massive 9-for-1 trade from the past shattered the league.

Lakers fan account LakeShowYo said: "The Thunder are now 21-1, and the Clippers have destroyed the league.”

They know the Lakers have always been at odds with the Clippers as city rivals, but they don’t blame them for everything.

This refers to the game-changing 9-for-1 trade in the summer of 2019, detailed as follows:

The Clippers acquired George;

The Thunder received Alexander, Gallinari, four unprotected first-round picks, two first-round pick swaps, and a protected pick from the 14th spot in 2023.

However, it’s not fair to harshly criticize the Clippers over this trade. Who could have predicted that Alexander, then a rookie and the 11th pick in the 2018 draft, would develop into an MVP-level superstar? Besides, trades are gambles with no guaranteed outcomes; hindsight criticism is pointless.

As for George that year, in the 18-19 regular season he averaged 28 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.2 steals; in the playoffs he averaged 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 steals. He ranked third in both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year voting and made the All-NBA First Team. So, the Clippers’ heavy investment in him was understandable, though fate ultimately favored the Thunder.

So far this season,Alexander has played every game, averaging an explosive 32.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, shooting 54.8% overall, hitting 2.2 three-pointers per game at 43.4%, and going to the free throw line 10.1 times per game, converting 8.9 of those at 87.9%. Under his leadership, the Thunder have consistently topped the Western Conference and the league, dominating with a wide margin.

As for the Clippers, they currently stand at 6-16, ranking 13th in the West, and their unprotected first-round pick next year belongs to the Thunder. So after Alexander, the Clippers might even send a number one overall pick to the Thunder.

Who in today’s league can stop the Thunder’s surge? Probably only themselves. This summer’s off-season saw them spend $822 million to re-sign Alexander, Chet, and Jewell, which could lead to breaking up the Big Three due to salary cap pressure in the future.

New talents emerge with each generation, and the brilliance that Dwyane couldn’t bring to Oklahoma City has finally been realized now...