Anyone who watched Boston’s run to an NBA title saw how dominating a team can be with an elite defensive backcourt. Sam Presti in Oklahoma City was paying attention.
The Chicago Bulls are trading elite defensive guard Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for playmaking guard Josh Giddey, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
BREAKING: The Chicago Bulls are trading two-time All-Defensive guard Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for guard Josh Giddey, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/V3t12MA3Uo
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2024
This is a straight-up, one-for-one trade (it works under the CBA because the Thunder is under the salary cap, so they can take on the added $1.5 million in salary and still have more than $33 million in cap space to spend on free agents this summer). It’s a little surprising the Bulls did not try to get some of the picks Presti and the Thunder have hoarded in the coming years as part of this deal — they could have had a pick or picks at the last trade deadline — but it’s still not a bad trade for Chicago.
Caruso is in the final year of his contract and can sign an extension in December for up to four years, $78.8 million (he can’t sign until six months after the trade is completed). The Thunder want to extend Caruso when given the opportunity, Wojnarowski reports.
This trade makes sense for both teams.
This deal makes Oklahoma City even scarier as a title contender. It gives the Thunder another quality defender, OKC can now roll out a lineup of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Caruso, Lu Dort, Jaylin Williams and Chet Holmgren — not a bad defender in the bunch. Caruso can slide into a backcourt rotation with Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace, giving OKC plenty of depth. Caruso is a more natural fit next to SGA because he can work off the ball and hit 3s (40.8% last season on 4.7 attempts a game), plus he does more of the little things the Thunder need. Giddey was the defender that other teams targeted in the playoffs, and he was a guy who needed the ball in his hands to be effective.
The Bulls need a guy who can create shots with the ball in his hands (especially with the future of Lonzo Ball still up in the air) and Giddey fills that role. Giddey averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season with the Thunder in a lineup where he was a secondary shot creator (and often the third guy in the line).
More importantly, Giddey is 21 to Caruso’s 30, a sign that Bulls management is starting to think younger and retooling rather than trying to win now by adding more veterans.
Giddey is rookie contract extension eligible this summer, however, it’s more likely the Bulls let this season play out then extend him or let him go to restricted free agency in July 2025.
Giddey was investigated in the past year for having an improper relationship with an underage girl, however, after an investigation by the Newport Beach (Calif.) no charges were filed because police could not corroborate any of the accusations.
