NBA Finals 2025: The Unlikely Path to Championship Glory

The 2025 NBA Finals: A Tale of Trades and Unexpected Success The 2025 NBA Finals present a unique situation: two teams, the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, neither of whom paid into the luxury tax this season, are battling for the championship. This unexpected matchup is a direct result of a series of trades involving star player Paul George. In 2017, the Pacers traded George to the Thunder, receiving Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis in return. A few years later, in 2022, the Pacers traded Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings for Tyrese Haliburton. This trade proved pivotal for Indiana, as Haliburton led the Pacers to their first NBA Finals appearance in decades. "In two full seasons led by Haliburton," Greenberg explains, "the Pacers have won five playoff series and now advanced to their first finals in a quarter of a century." Meanwhile, the Thunder's journey to the finals is also linked to George. After his time in Oklahoma City, he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019. The Thunder received a package including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and several draft picks, one of which turned into Jalen Williams. These two players have now led the Thunder to an impressive 80-18 season and the finals, making them the youngest team to reach this stage since 1977. Greenberg concludes by emphasizing that while this is a remarkable story of successful trades, it also highlights the unpredictability of the NBA. "These finals are living proof that at least sometimes, you do get full value in return." The narrative surrounding these trades is a testament to the long-term effects of player movement and the unexpected paths to success in professional basketball.