Montrezl Harrell says Clippers gave up too soon on Shai: "All you had to do is let the kid develop"
Montrezl Harrell says Clippers gave up too soon on Shai: "All you had to do is let the kid develop" originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Not every young talent hits their stride right away; some need a better system, a clearer role, or simply more time to develop. And then there are those who turn into full-blown superstars the moment they're traded, making the team that gave up on them look flat-out stupid. That's exactly what happened with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
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The Los Angeles Clippers shipped the then-20-year-old guard to Oklahoma City in 2019 as part of the blockbuster deal to land Paul George — a move that helped bring Kawhi Leonard to his hometown and launched a championship-or-bust era in Los Angeles. It made sense on paper, but in hindsight, it cost them a future MVP.
For Montrezl Harrell, who shared the locker room with a young Shai during that lone season in LA, the signs of greatness were already there.
"Hell yeah..." The 2020 Sixth Man of the Year said convincingly when asked if he saw the potential of young SGA during their time together with the Clippers. "He was a kid that came in ready to work, bro. Highly recruited out of Kentucky. He had all the intangibles to become a great player."
And what stood out to Harrell had nothing to do with flashy stats or highlight plays — it was all about who Gilgeous-Alexander was behind the scenes.
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"He was always the player that was ready to work and learn from the veterans ahead of him, listening to the things they had to say. The work ethic never lacked from that kid; he was in the gym 24/7," Harrell continued.
Shai worked his tail off
In a league that became obsessed with three-point math and pace-and-space offense, Shai never rushed to fit the mold. While everyone else was trying to emulate Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, stretching the floor and chucking threes, SGA kept it simple. He was trying to get to his spots in the mid-range, getting to the paint, or, something that many dislike about his game today, trying to get to the line.
Yes, he added the three-ball over time to his offensive repertoire, but it was never who he truly was. To Harrell, that kind of approach just needed time. And had the Clippers shown a little more of it, who knows what could've been.
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"I don't know if they (the Clippers) handled it the right way… All you had to do is let the kid develop, but I understand how the business goes. They was trying to win now," he added.
The Clippers didn't just trade away Shai; they traded away their whole future. In exchange for George, they sent OKC five first-round picks, two pick swaps, Danilo Gallinari and Gilgeous-Alexander. It was the ultimate win-now move, made with the belief that pairing PG with Kawhi would deliver a championship to the "second team in LA." Six years later, the Clippers are still ringless, and Shai is one of the best players on the planet, two wins away from getting the ultimate prize.
Related: "I can't get so close to it, too, because of my competitive nature" - Michael Jordan on why he can't get himself to be a fan of any one player in the NBA
SGA is on his way to win the Thunder their first ring
Today, Gilgeous-Alexander is not just a star, he's "the" guy. The face of a franchise, a two-way killer, and now, the 2025 NBA MVP. He also added the Western Conference Finals MVP to his growing resume this postseason after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder past everyone who stood in their way.
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With OKC now in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012, SGA is trying to do what even Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook never could — bring a title to Oklahoma. The Thunder are currently down all tied at 2-2 with the Indiana Pacers, but with Shai leading the charge, their odds of winning it all seem great.
Harrell saw this coming long before the accolades and headlines. And while the Clippers bet big (and failed miserably) on a shortcut to a championship, the Thunder played the long game with a kid from Kentucky who just needed a chance to grow. And boy, grow he did.
Related: Montrezl Harrell is still shocked after what happened to DeMarcus Cousins in Puerto Rico: "That sh*t was wild, but this is how their fans are"
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
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