In a significant move within the NBA, the Chicago Bulls have agreed to send Alex Caruso, a guard renowned for his defensive prowess, to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey, as reported by ESPN on Thursday.
This transaction grants the Thunder a highly sought-after player in Caruso, a 30-year-old guard whose skills have been on the radar of General Manager Sam Presti, especially after the team’s successful run as the Western Conference’s top seed in the recent postseason. Caruso’s acquisition is reminiscent of the Golden State Warriors’ strategic move in 2013 when they brought in Andre Iguodala, who was also 30 at the time.
The Bulls’ quest for a dynamic playmaker to fill the void left by Lonzo Ball has led them to Giddey, a 21-year-old with the potential to rise to All-Star status—a feat less likely to occur at the Thunder due to the dominant playmakers in its ranks. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s impressive performance as the MVP runner-up and the franchise’s plans to increase Chet Holmgren’s playmaking responsibilities, Giddey’s talents were overshadowed.
Selected sixth in the 2021 NBA draft, Giddey has emerged as one of the most inventive playmakers among the league’s younger talent. The Bulls are poised to provide him with the chance to control the game and exhibit his passing and scoring abilities more freely. In their search for a catalyst for their offense, the Bulls believe they have found their answer in Giddey.
During the previous season, Giddey appeared in a personal-best 80 games for the Thunder, although he transitioned to a bench role during the Western Conference playoffs. His scoring average saw a decrease from 16.6 points in the last season to 12.3 points this season, reflecting his changing role on the team. Notably, Giddey has achieved 11 career triple-doubles, ranking him fourth among players aged 21 or younger, just behind Luka Doncic, Magic Johnson, and Ben Simmons, as per ESPN’s research.
Caruso has demonstrated his sharpshooting abilities, hitting 41% from beyond the arc and securing a fourth-place rank in steals across the NBA last season. His defensive skills are further highlighted by his second-place standing in half-court matchups against 2024 NBA All-Star players, second only to Luguentz Dort, his new teammate at the Thunder.
With Caruso’s arrival, the Thunder now boasts three of the league’s top on-ball defenders among guards, including Caruso, Dort, and Cason Wallace.
Looking ahead, Caruso will be eligible for a four-year contract extension worth $80 million, six months post-trade. Currently in the last year of his existing contract, the Thunder are hopeful to retain Caruso as a key player for the foreseeable future.
We’ll find out which team comes out on top in this trade during the upcoming NBA season.