The 2024 NBA offseason is now in full swing and the first big trade of the summer has finally happened. As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Thursday, the Bulls and Thunder have done a swap between 21-year-old Josh Giddey and 7-year veteran Alex Caruso.
“The Chicago Bulls are trading two-time All-Defensive guard Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for guard Josh Giddey,” wrote Woj on X. “The trade delivers the Thunder one of the league’s most coveted role players, who GM Sam Presti has long pursued for the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed. Caruso’s arrival could be seen as an addition comparable to the Golden State Warriors acquisition of Andre Iguodala. The Bulls have been determined to find a playmaker to replace Lonzo Ball, and Giddey comes with an All-Star potential that would unlikely be realized with the Thunder because of the playmaking star power that surrounded him. The Bulls will offer him an opportunity to have the ball in his hands and so much more freedom to pass and score.”
This marks the first major move of the 2024 offseason and people had a lot to say about the deal from both sides. Typically there is no such thing as win/win trade in the NBA, but this is about as close as it gets. Neither team got substantially worse but they both added a player who fits better with their timeline.
In the case of the Bulls, they are teetering on a rebuild right now and it’s much smarter to go young than stock up on older veteran players. Josh Giddey may not be an A-tier asset, but he’s got a solid two-way game and averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists on 47.5% shooting last season. As part of Billy Donovan’s rotation, he could shore up the backcourt and play through some of his shooting struggles with an increased role and more opportunities to score.
For the Thunder, this trade allows them to add a reliable backcourt defender in exchange for a guy who was nearly unplayable in the 2024 post-season. Caruso, 30, is a 7-year NBA veteran who is also one of the best backcourt defenders in the game. His athleticism, speed, and basketball IQ allow him to hold his own on the other end as well and he thrived off the bench last season with a career-high scoring average of 10.1 points per game.
All-in-all, the deal gives both teams what they need and allows both Caruso and Giddey to be in situations that are better tailored for their game. It’s hard to tell what kind of a difference it will make in the standings next season but considering how good the Thunder already were, it’s no surprise that many fans feel like they only got better.
Admittedly, the move is much less risky for the Thunder than the Bulls but the Bulls do have the highest potential upside if Giddey turns out to be an All-Star. Regardless, for the first major deal of the offseason, this is certainly an interesting development and it shows how serious both of these teams are about shaking things up for the better.
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