EXCITING NEWS: The Pacers And Thunder Trading Away Paul George Helped Both Teams Reach The NBA Finals.
EXCITING NEWS: The Pacers and Thunder Trading Away Paul George Helped Both Teams Reach the NBA Finals
In a stunning twist of basketball fate, the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder have both reached the NBA Finals in 2025 — and both journeys can be traced back to one seismic player: Paul George.
George, a six-time All-Star and former face of the Pacers franchise, was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017 for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. At the time, many thought Indiana had been shortchanged. But what initially seemed like a rebuilding move turned into a masterstroke. Sabonis blossomed into a two-time All-Star and helped shape the modern identity of the Pacers. Even after he was traded to Sacramento in 2022, the assets Indiana accumulated — including key players and picks — formed the foundation for their current Finals-bound roster.
Meanwhile, George’s stint in Oklahoma City was short-lived. After two seasons, he was sent to the Los Angeles Clippers in a blockbuster 2019 trade. That deal sent a historic haul of draft picks and young players — including rising superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — to the Thunder. While OKC didn’t see immediate success, their patience and savvy player development eventually paid off.
Now, in 2025, both franchises are reaping the benefits.
The Pacers have emerged from years of middling performance to become a cohesive, high-powered squad led by Tyrese Haliburton, acquired in the Sabonis trade. Surrounded by versatile role players, elite shooting, and a deep bench, Indiana has stormed through the Eastern Conference with relentless pace and chemistry.
On the other side, the Thunder have completed their rebuild with one of the youngest and most talented rosters in NBA history. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has become a legitimate MVP candidate, and alongside defensive juggernaut Chet Holmgren and dynamic scorer Jalen Williams, OKC has shocked the Western Conference.
Ironically, Paul George himself has never reached the NBA Finals, despite individual success and playoff runs with both OKC and the Clippers. Yet, the trades that moved him have fueled two separate Finals appearances — just not for the teams he played for.
It’s a reminder of how unpredictable and interconnected the NBA truly is. Sometimes, letting go of a superstar isn’t the end — it’s the beginning of something bigger.
The Pacers and Thunder may have taken different paths, but both gambled on the future. Now, they meet at the summit of basketball’s biggest stage, linked forever by the Paul George domino effect.