The Chicago Bulls have traded two-time NBA All-Defensive Group guard Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder for guard Josh Giddey, the groups introduced Friday.
The commerce delivers the Thunder one of many league’s most coveted function gamers, a 30-year-old guard normal supervisor Sam Presti has lengthy pursued for the Western Convention’s No. 1 seed this previous postseason. Caruso’s arrival may very well be seen as an addition akin to the Golden State Warriors’ acquisition of Andre Iguodala in 2013. On the time of that deal, Iguodala was additionally 30 years outdated.
The Bulls have been decided to discover a playmaker to exchange Lonzo Ball, and Giddey, 21, comes with All-Star potential that may be unlikely to be realized with the Thunder due to the playmaking star energy that surrounded him. Level guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the MVP runner-up this previous season, and there’s an expectation that the franchise desires to offer 7-footer Chet Holmgren much more playmaking duties.
Presti stated in an announcement that the Thunder had deliberate to carry Giddey off the bench subsequent season, an thought the guard discovered “onerous for him to check.”
“Conversations turned to him inquiring about potential alternatives elsewhere,” Presti stated. “As all the time was the case, Josh demonstrated the utmost professionalism all through the discussions. Josh has All-Star potential, however accessing that within the present assemble of the Thunder wouldn’t be optimum for the collective. Primarily based on these discussions we determined to maneuver ahead and prioritize what was finest for the group.”
Giddey was the No. 6 decide within the 2021 NBA draft and developed into one of many league’s most inventive younger playmakers. The Bulls will supply him a chance to have the ball in his fingers and extra freedom to cross and rating. They wanted an engine for his or her offense, and so they land that with Giddey.
Giddey performed a career-high 80 video games for the Thunder this previous season however finally began to come back off the bench within the Western Convention playoffs. His scoring common dropped from 16.6 factors per recreation in 2022-23 final season to 12.3 factors this previous season as his function with the Thunder developed. Giddey has 11 profession triple-doubles, fourth most by a participant age 21 or youthful, trailing solely Luka Doncic, Magic Johnson and Ben Simmons, based on ESPN Stats & Info.
Caruso shot 40.8% on 3-pointers and ranked fourth in steals within the NBA final season. He was second in defensive half-court matchups in opposition to 2024 All-Star gamers, trailing solely his new Thunder teammate, Luguentz Dort, based on ESPN Stats & Info.
Caruso’s addition offers the Thunder three of the perfect on-ball defenders amongst league guards: Caruso, Dort and Cason Wallace.
Caruso will likely be eligible for a four-year, $80 million contract extension six months from the date of this commerce. He’s coming into the ultimate yr of his contract. The Thunder made the cope with hopes of conserving Caruso as an integral a part of their workforce for the long run, sources stated.
Giddey is eligible to barter a rookie-scale extension as a member of the 2021 draft class.