As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander saw his potential game-winner rattle in and out, the Oklahoma City Thunder saw a pair of years-long records break in their 113-112 loss to the LA Clippers. The last-second scramble drill and near three-minute scoring drought dropped them to a new low.
The Thunder are amid their first three-game losing streak since April 2023. They also lost to the Clippers for the first time in 10 tries. Before OKC's frustrating 2026 NBA Cup loss, it had previously rattled off nine in a row over LA. The last time that happened? Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden were still with their squad.
Now, the Clippers have turned a new page. They're in the infancy stage of rebuilding. Even if they don't have any first-round picks for
the foreseeable future — they still owe OKC swap rights for 2027 and were docked five first-round picks from 2029-33 for their cap circumvention punishment.
A lot is falling on Keaton Wagler's shoulders. The 19-year-old is LA's sole saving grace. He was the No. 5 pick of the 2026 NBA draft as the Indiana Pacers lost a coin-flip chance to keep their pick. He had 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting, two rebounds and one assist in OKC's loss to the Clippers.
The last time the Clippers had a premier lottery talent was Gilgeous-Alexander. He played his rookie year there before eventually being part of the infamous 2019 Paul George trade. We all know how that's played out. It's one of the most lopsided deals in NBA history. Regardless of all that, the two-time MVP winner is a fan of Wagler's game.
"He’s a good player. He has good feel. Can really shoot. Usually, when you have those things, the game will slow down for you eventually," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "He’s in a good situation where he can play. There are good coaches over there, so he’ll learn the game the right way. As long as he works hard, he should have a long runway to be whoever he wants to be."
The Clippers are starting from scratch. Don't really know how they're going to eventually climb out of the self-inflicted hole they're in. They're about to endure about a decade's worth of having zero control over their first-round picks. Both from acquiring George in 2019 and now this Leonard cap circumvention drama. Truly an unprecedented situation.
But hey — if Wagler is a hit, then that's a great start. Surely he won't reach the heights of Gilgeous-Alexander, but he can be the first franchise cornerstone for the Clippers. As LA hopes to move forward in the next chapter of its NBA franchise history.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a fan of recent top-5 NBA draft pick: 'He’s a good player'
