The NBA Finals are set — the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers will battle for the championship. These two franchises have taken vastly different paths to the league’s grandest stage. Their rosters, playoff journeys, and playing styles may contrast, but one unlikely figure links their stories together.
Paul George.
Wait — Paul George is on the Philadelphia 76ers, right? So how could he possibly factor into this Finals matchup?
If memory serves, George played for both franchises earlier in his career — seven seasons with Indiana, and two with OKC. While his direct impact with each team may feel like a distant memory, the trades involving George set off a chain reaction that ultimately shaped both organizations into the contenders they are today.
Let’s break it down.
How Paul George shaped the Thunder roster
In 2016, the Thunder traded Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis, Ersan Ilyasova, cash considerations, and a second-round pick. At the time, Oladipo and Sabonis were seen more as future trade chips than building blocks.
Just one year later, OKC flipped Oladipo and Sabonis to the Indiana Pacers for Paul George. No picks, no cash — just a two-for-one deal bringing a four-time All-Star to join Russell Westbrook in the Thunder’s next big push. Alongside newly acquired Carmelo Anthony, the trio enjoyed regular-season success but suffered back-to-back first-round exits in the playoffs.
Then came the blockbuster of all blockbusters.
In the 2019 offseason, the Los Angeles Clippers, fresh off signing Kawhi Leonard, traded for George — hoping to form a championship duo. In return, OKC received Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and a jaw-dropping seven first-round picks. Some of those picks would become names like Tre Mann, Dillon Jones, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. But perhaps the biggest surprise of all?
Jalen Williams.
"J-Dub," as fans affectionately call him, has developed into a borderline All-Star. In his third season, Williams averaged a career-high 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 steals across 69 games — contributing on both ends of the floor and helping cement Oklahoma City as a true Finals contender.
On the current roster, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and rookie Dillon Jones all came directly from the Paul George trade.
How Paul George shaped the Pacers roster
The Pacers hadn’t planned to trade Paul George — at least not when they did. But when Oladipo and Sabonis arrived in 2017, they quickly found their footing. Indiana made the playoffs in 2018 and 2019, though both runs ended in the first round.
By 2021, injuries forced the Pacers to move on from Oladipo in a four-team deal. The real turning point came in 2022, when Indiana traded Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings for Tyrese Haliburton.
At the time, the deal appeared heavily lopsided — in favor of Sacramento. Haliburton was a promising young guard, but had mostly played behind De’Aaron Fox. Sabonis, meanwhile, was a proven All-Star putting up big numbers in Indiana.
But hindsight tells a different story.
Since arriving in Indiana, Haliburton has become a franchise cornerstone — earning two All-Star selections, two All-NBA honors, and leading the Pacers to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals. Now, he’s just four wins away from an NBA Championship.
On the current Pacers roster, Haliburton isn't the only piece that tracks back to the Paul George trade. Andrew Nembhard and Ben Sheppard were both taken with picks that came from the Cavaliers in the Caris LeVert trade, who was acquired when the Pacers offloaded Oladipo.
Paul George: Catalyst, not centerpiece
While Paul George is no longer on either roster, his trades inadvertently shaped both franchises. His movement set off the chain of deals that brought Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Tyrese Haliburton to the forefront of two ascending franchises. Both teams ended up with two top-tier starters and a deep bench piece. On paper, the Thunder probably made out better with SGA and Williams compared to Haliburton and Nembhard, but neither team is here without the returns from those Paul George trades.
The Thunder and Pacers are built on grit, development, and chemistry, not just star power. And now, they’ll face off to prove that their success isn’t about one former superstar — it’s about the complete roster each team has carefully built.