Free Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

On Wednesday night, the Milwaukee Bucks came to Oklahoma City and barely scraped by against a team full of teenagers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander helped carry this team to double overtime where the Bucks would inevitably win 136-132.

SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER FOR THE LEAD. HE IS HIM. @okcthunder | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/DcWaKACLw4

— Bally Sports Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) November 10, 2022

Sure, Giannis and Jrue Holiday didn’t play but this article is about how great SGA is. That context doesn’t matter right now. Shai dropped 39 points on their dome which made me realize he’s the 5th best scorer in the NBA right now averaging 31.6 points per game.

Shai has played 10 games this season. He’s scored 30+ points in 7 of those 10 games. One of those games he only scored 28. Yuck.

The 24-year old point guard has reached that superstar level where you realize no one can stop you. Shai Gilgeous Alexander leads the NBA in drives per game and he’s scoring 24.8 points per game on those drives. He’s also shooting 94% from the free-throw line. So he’s getting to the rim whenever he wants and he’s capitalizing every time he’s fouled.

He’s essentially doing what Ja Morant did last season minus the spectacular dunks and dad on the sidelines rocking the heaviest chains a man’s neck can bear to carry.

You know what my favorite SGA stat is? He’s 12th in the NBA in blocks per game. HE’S THE TWELFTH-BEST SHOT BLOCKER IN THE NBA.

And unfortunately, no one seems to give a shit because he’s stuck playing for a fake organization that is solely focused on losing every single game every single season so they can draft more teenagers to go out and keep losing.

At some point, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander needs to be freed from the shackles of whatever Ponzi scheme the Thunder are running. He is too good for the team to tank the way they want to and he’s getting too old to fit the window of all the younger kids he’s playing next to.

So here are a few teams that should trade for SGA:

New York Knicks

Jalen Brunson has been surprisingly great for this team considering the *only* reason why he’s on the Knicks is because his dad is an assistant coach there. But their offense still stinks and a duo-point guard backcourt could actually work for a team that often feels structureless in the half court.

Trade Julius Randle for Shai. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Julius Randle it’s that he can make your team look atrocious if he’s in a mood. Perfect for the Thunders tank agenda.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavs lost Jalen Brunson and replaced him with *squints* absolutely no one. Luka Doncic isn’t a point guard. He should not be the center of every single offensive possession. Especially if you expect to go on a deep postseason run. He cannot get his ass beat for 48 minutes a night every night and have any gas left in the playoffs.

I’m realizing I can just scroll through every NBA team and say they could use a young point guard who scores 30 a game and busts his ass on defense. But you get the exercise here. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deserves to play meaningful basketball in a city that people care about.

Free Shai.