How a 2007 trade caused the chain reaction to OKC's title win

The first domino leading to the Thunder's 2025 NBA championship fell when Chet Holmgren was a five-year-old somewhere in Minneapolis.

No, that is not hyperbole.

We've all heard the story of how the Paul George trade helped the Thunder land Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams (No. 12 pick in 2022). But there are a few more layers to peel back.

It all began in 2007 when then-SuperSonics guard Rashard Lewis wanted to join the Magic as a free agent. Instead of losing their All-Star for nothing, Seattle, under new GM Sam Presti, executed a sign-and-trade deal in exchange for a trade exception and a second-round pick.   

A week later, Presti sent the trade exception and the pick to the Suns — who were looking to shed salary — for Kurt Thomas, a 2010 first-round pick and a 2008 first-round pick, the latter of which turned into Serge Ibaka.

In 2016, Presti traded Ibaka to the Magic for Ersan Ilyasova, Victor Oladipo and the draft rights to Domantas Sabonis.

A year later, he flipped Oladipo and Sabonis for George.

In 2019, he shipped George to the Clippers for SGA, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps.

In 2022, he drafted J-Dub with one of those draft assets. 

To summarize, Presti flipped Lewis and a second-round pick for the two principal actors to the Thunder's championship-winning team. 

A random sign-and-trade deal may have sparked the emergence of a potential dynasty. Presti himself is the first to acknowledge that some luck contributed to his team's success 18 years later. 

"When you have success like this, it's easy to narrate it back and make it seem like there was this great plan," he told "SC with SVP" of the chain of events. "I would just say that when we arrived here [in OKC] in 2008, we've always talked about drafting people, not players. And finding the people who could create a positive environment, where everyone can pursue progress together."

Presti noted that some of his past moves had backfired, admitting that he was not some evil genius. Regardless of his humility, it's hard to deny he was a few moves ahead of his counterparts on the chessboard.