Thunder trade for 12x All-Star back in 2019 'haunting' conference rival to this day

Over the years, the OKC Thunder have participated in quite a number of high-impact, future-oriented dealings that have helped shape who they have become as we make our way through the 2024-25 campaign.

One move, in particular, that still seems to be affecting both them and their former trade partners is the 2019 blockbuster exchange that shipped future Hall of Famer Chris Paul from Houston to Oklahoma City.

Now, at the time, the transaction seemed quite logical and mutually beneficial for both franchises involved.

The Rockets were looking to contend for NBA Championships for the foreseeable future as they had an in-his-prime James Harden, and adding the in-his-prime Russell Westbrook to serve as his co-star seemed to be something that could help propel them toward such a goal.

Meanwhile, the Thunder were looking to rebuild, and taking on the final seasons of Paul's deal to clear their books for the summer of 2021 while adding two future first-round pick swaps seemed like a no-brainer.

Fast forward five years later, and it's evident the trade went on to have substantial impacts on all parties involved. Paul had a resurgence season with OKC and was acquired by the Phoenix Suns that offseason, followed by him signing a lucrative $120 million deal that following summer. GM Sam Presti ended up flipping CP3 via trade for even more capital in the form of a 2022-protected first-rounder.

Of course, not all of these side side effects proved to be positive, especially not for the Rockets. In fact, things played out so poorly for the franchise that Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley listed the trade as one that is "still haunting" them to this day.

Thunder trade for Chris Paul still haunting Rockets in 2024-25

To Buckley, right from the jump Houston's deal for Westbrook "was a baffling decision" considering the fact that his ball-dominance and shaky shooting abilities were far from complimentary skillsets to have paired alongside the equally ball-dominant Harden.

What wound up happening was the Rockets ended the 2019-20 season with a 44-28 record, translating to a .611 winning percentage which was their lowest in four seasons, and were bounced in the second round of the playoffs which was a clear step back from two years before where they went to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.

In the end, as Buckely put it, "virtually everyone skipped town" following the conclusion of their underwhelming playoff run, as Mike D'Antoni and Daryl Morey both left the organization, Russell Westbrook would be dealt to the Washington Wizards, and James Harden would force his way to the Brooklyn Nets early on into the 2020-21 season.

They've been in a continual rebuild ever since.

For the Thunder, things worked out rather well right from the jump as noted earlier, but, even in 2024, the club still finds itself reaping the rewards of their fateful decision to part ways with their all-time great, as they recently utilized a pick-swap from the exchange this past NBA Draft, where they selected Nikola Topic with the 12 overall selection.

They sill have a top-four protected pick in 2026 waiting on the horizon as well.

And, as the cherry on top, current superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (who was acquired in another "haunting" exchange with the LA Clippers during the summer of 2019) recently went on record stating that, if not for the guidance he received from Paul during their one-year stint together, he may not have ever become the perennial All-Star MVP candidate we know him as today.

So while the 2019 trade may still be haunting Houston, as Buckley suggests, for the Thunder it was very much a move that played a large part in them becoming the legitimate title contenders they are currently viewed as today.