On Thursday, the Chicago Bulls traded Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey.
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.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn)
This trade seems strange because Caruso is a strong defender and Giddey hasn’t lived up to expectations. Reports say the Bulls turned down better offers for Caruso earlier in the season, including one that had a top-10 draft pick.
Trade Analysis:
The Bulls might regret this move if they weren’t planning to keep Caruso long-term. They should have taken advantage of higher offers when they had the chance. Meanwhile, OKC benefits from adding a solid defender like Caruso, who also shot well last season—40% from three and 46% from the field.
Giddey’s performance has been disappointing so far. Last season with OKC, he averaged career lows in points (12.3) and minutes (25.1). In the playoffs, his stats dropped even more: 8.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game over ten games.
Fans might think this trade favors OKC more than Chicago.
At just 21 years old, Giddey still has time to improve his game in Chicago; maybe he’ll thrive with more responsibility there. But it’s uncertain if he’ll get that chance with the Bulls’ current roster situation.
DeMar DeRozan wants a long-term deal to stay with Chicago while Zach LaVine’s future is unclear amid numerous trade rumors involving him in up to 15 proposals.
If this trade signals a bigger shake-up for the Bulls’ roster or even a firesale, it hasn’t started well.
What do you think about this trade? Do you agree with how things are going for both teams?
