“The Paul George Finals”: Pacers and Thunder Battle for 2025 NBA Title, Years After Trades That Changed Their Futures Forever
The 2025 NBA Finals have arrived, and with them comes one of the most unexpected yet poetic matchups in recent basketball memory. The Indiana Pacers, representing the Eastern Conference, will square off against the Oklahoma City Thunder, representing the West. On the surface, it’s a clash between two franchises that rebuilt through the draft, smart trades, and player development. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find one name inextricably linked to both of these teams: Paul George.
In a season filled with dramatic storylines, this one might be the most compelling. Though Paul George himself won’t take the floor for either team during these Finals, his fingerprints are all over this series. From the trade requests that sent him first from Indiana to Oklahoma City, and then from the Thunder to the Clippers, to the young players and assets those deals brought in, the ripple effect of George’s career choices continues to define the present and future of both franchises.
Dubbed by fans and analysts alike as “The Paul George Finals,” this year’s championship round is not just a competition for the Larry O’Brien Trophy—it’s a full-circle moment of NBA history, shaped in no small part by one of the league’s most talented, yet polarizing, stars.
Paul George’s journey began in Indiana, where he was drafted 10th overall in 2010. Over the next seven seasons, George blossomed into a two-way superstar, leading the Pacers to multiple playoff runs, including back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2013 and 2014. He became the face of the franchise and a symbol of the Pacers’ resurgence in the post-Reggie Miller era.
But by 2017, cracks had formed. George made it clear he wasn’t planning to re-sign with Indiana long-term, citing his desire to compete for a championship elsewhere. The Pacers, facing the grim prospect of losing him for nothing, acted decisively. That summer, they traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a package that included Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis—two players who would soon become All-Stars in their own right.
At the time, many viewed it as a lopsided deal in favor of the Thunder. George, teaming up with Russell Westbrook, was expected to help form a formidable duo in the West. And he did—at least on paper. George played well in OKC, even finishing third in MVP voting in 2019, but the team failed to get past the first round of the playoffs in either of his two seasons.
Then came another turning point. In the summer of 2019, George requested a trade to the LA Clippers, where he would join forces with Kawhi Leonard. The Thunder granted the request, but not without a massive return. In exchange for George, the Clippers sent Oklahoma City a historic haul: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and five first-round draft picks.
Those two trades—first to OKC, then to LA—have come to define the current identities of both the Pacers and Thunder.
Let’s start with Indiana. The Oladipo-Sabonis era brought immediate returns. In their first season after the George trade, the Pacers shocked the league with 48 wins and a near-upset of LeBron James’ Cavaliers in the 2018 playoffs. Though injuries eventually derailed Oladipo’s trajectory, Sabonis evolved into one of the league’s most skilled big men. His presence allowed Indiana to remain competitive while retooling their roster.
Even after trading Sabonis to Sacramento in 2022, the Pacers used the momentum from that era to continue building. They drafted Tyrese Haliburton, acquired key pieces like Bennedict Mathurin, and patiently developed a roster that now features a balanced blend of youth, athleticism, and savvy veteran play. Their 2025 Finals appearance is the culmination of years of careful planning—and none of it happens without the initial Paul George deal.
Then there’s Oklahoma City. The George trade to the Clippers essentially kickstarted a full rebuild, but the Thunder executed it to perfection. The centerpiece of that deal, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has emerged as a top-10 player in the league. His development into an MVP candidate has fueled OKC’s rise from a rebuilding squad to a legitimate title contender.
But it wasn’t just SGA. The picks acquired in the George deal allowed the Thunder to draft key contributors like Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, and to make smart moves on the trade market that further stocked their roster with young talent. General Manager Sam Presti turned what could have been a franchise setback into one of the most impressive team-building stories in recent memory.
Now, here we are. The two franchises most directly impacted by Paul George’s career choices are meeting on the biggest stage in basketball. George himself is watching from the outside, currently with the Philadelphia 76ers following another offseason move. But his legacy looms large over these Finals—not in the way a Finals MVP or legendary scorer would be remembered, but in the way a single player’s decisions reshaped the trajectory of two entire organizations.
Fans are embracing the narrative with full force. Social media has run wild with memes, edits, and timelines chronicling the “Paul George Cinematic Universe.” On basketball forums and talk shows, analysts have debated how much credit George deserves for indirectly creating the foundations of these Finals teams. Some view it as ironic justice—two teams thriving without the star who once led them. Others see it as a testament to George’s value; after all, it was because of his talent that these franchises were able to command such high returns.
For George himself, there has been no public statement yet, but insiders suggest he’s both proud and amused by the storyline. Known for his level-headed demeanor and self-awareness, George has often acknowledged the unpredictable nature of NBA careers. It’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t appreciate the irony of watching two former teams, linked by his past, now battling for the championship he has yet to win.
As the series begins, attention shifts to the current stars. Tyrese Haliburton leads the Pacers with a blend of creativity and leadership well beyond his years. Myles Turner anchors a defense that’s been elite all season, and Rick Carlisle’s veteran coaching presence has brought calm to a youthful core. On the other side, the Thunder are led by the brilliant Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the explosive Jalen Williams, and the ever-improving Chet Holmgren. Coach Mark Daigneault has molded one of the league’s deepest and most versatile rosters.
But the underlying narrative will remain. Every big shot, every clutch moment, every swing in momentum will feel like another chapter in a story that began years ago with one trade request, then another.
It’s rare in sports to see such direct cause and effect. Players are traded all the time. Teams rebuild, reload, and rebrand. But seldom do the echoes of a player’s choices ring out so clearly, so consequentially, across time and space.
Whether the Pacers claim their first-ever NBA title or the Thunder complete their post-Durant renaissance with a new banner, history will remember this series not just for the basketball played, but for the unlikely, winding path that brought us here.
Paul George may not hoist the trophy, but in many ways, this is still his Finals.
