Paul George's "Tree" Between Pacers Versus Thunder Finals

Star basketball player Paul George has never led the Indiana Pacers or the Oklahoma City Thunder to a championship or a final. However, he deserves to be thanked by both of his former clubs. George has had an intangible impact on the success of the Pacers and the Thunder.

The 2024-25 NBA Finals will feature two teams that have previously reached the finals, namely the Pacers and the Thunder. They have undergone a notably long and winding team rebuilding cycle. The Thunder return to the championship stage after 2012, while the Pacers have not been there since 2000.

The Thunder temporarily lost its identity after the trio of James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook departed one by one. Similarly, the Pacers have struggled to find an icon as significant as Reggie Miller. So, what is the secret of these two teams to rise to the top of the competition this season?

The turning point lies in the figure of George. The Pacers and Thunder gradually built the foundation of their success after letting go of their star. "PG 13," as George is nicknamed, moved from the Pacers to the Thunder in 2017. After two years with the Thunder, he transferred again to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder's star this season, is the strongest evidence of the domino effect created by George. Shai became one of the Clippers' exchange tools. At that time George had just finished third in the Most Valuable Player award, when Shai was a rookie.

The Thunder gave up their star for a future investment. They got a super-sized package from the Clippers, just by giving George. In addition to Shai, the Thunder were also given veteran forward Danilo Gallinari, as well as five picks and four trades in the first round of the draft.

The debate over who won the trade was still very intense six years ago. Now, the winner is clear. "I have focused on developing myself over the past five years to become the best basketball player for the Thunder. I believe I have succeeded," said Shai.

Shai has become the best player in the NBA. He won the regular season MVP title for the first time this season and received the Western Conference Finals MVP. For context, George has never achieved that award throughout his career.

Interestingly, one of the Clippers' packages was used to take guard Jalen Williams with the 12th pick in the first round of the 2022 draft. Williams has been a complementary duo to Shai this season, including contributing an average of 20.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists throughout the playoffs.

The domino effect of George at the Pacers was not felt immediately, as it was with the Thunder. The impact of the player's departure requires time to manifest, but it remains a turning point for the team from the Eastern Conference. George played for seven seasons with the Pacers, starting as a rookie, before leaving in 2017.

At the time, George was traded for two Thunder players at once, center Domantas Sabonis and guard Victor Oladipo. The Pacers had built a foundation for the team with Sabonis and Oladipo for years, before rebuilding the squad.

Pacers management made a big decision in early 2022. They gave up Sabonis, the team's best player, to be traded to the Sacramento Kings. In return, the Pacers got potential guard Tyrese Haliburton, as well as two veteran players Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson.

Haliburton, as is known, has the status of one of the best guards in the NBA today. The United States national team player has also become the leading icon of the Pacers. Haliburton, 25, also led the Pacers to advance far in the playoffs this season.

George also acknowledged the greatness of his successor at the Pacers. "In my eyes, he's already a superstar. He's the first choice on the team and he's already the face of the NBA. He's shown that with great performances in big games and big moments," he said on the Podcast P podcast.

Not only that, Oladipo also later became a barter in a transaction with the Houston Rockets in 2021. The Pacers eventually got two picks in the draft after a series of transactions. The picks were used to take Andrew Nembhard (2022) and Ben Sheppard (2023) on draft night.

Nembhard and Sheppard have been crucial parts of coach Rick Carlisle’s rotation in the playoffs. Nembhard, in particular, showed his quality in the conference finals against the New York Knicks, shutting out star Jalen Brunson in the deciding Game 6.

From the story of George's "tree" and its descendants, it is clear that basketball is not solely determined on the court. The role of management, particularly the general manager, in establishing the foundation of the team has proven to be very important. They can change the future of the team with just one player transaction.

The Thunder has had Sam Presti since 2007, a figure who received the NBA Executive of the Year award this season. The Pacers are led by Chad Buchanan, who began his tenure in 2017 by trading George. Both general managers demonstrate that a player's star status is not everything.

As a result, this final between the Pacers and the Thunder can be considered a victory for the behind-the-scenes actors. It is a victory for Presti and Buchanan, the masterminds behind each team's project. (AP)