Australian basketball star Josh Giddey has been traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Chicago Bulls.
The explosive deal was first reported by KeynoteUSA’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday morning (AEST), with Giddey traded to the Bulls in exchange for two-time All-Defensive guard Alex Caruso.
Andrew Schlecht, who covers the Thunder for The Athletic, confirmed later that morning that the trade did not involve picks and is just a player swap.
Giddey was selected by OKC with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He is coming off his least productive junior season, struggling to evolve with the rest of the No. 1-seeded Thunder’s budding core.
His scoring dropped from 16.6 points per game to 12.3 points in 80 games, the best mark of his career.
It included Giddey’s role gradually diminishing throughout the campaign, eventually coming off the bench in the 2024 playoffs and averaging 18 minutes.
The 21-year-old is eligible this offseason to sign a max extension to his base rookie contract.
Wojnarowski later wrote that the Bulls were “determined” to find a playmaker to replace the oft-injured Lonzo Ball, and saw in Giddey “All-Star potential” that had yet to be realized given the shape of the game. that surrounded him in Oklahoma City.
“Giddey was the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft and has developed into one of the most creative young playmakers in the league,” KeynoteUSA’s source added.
“The Bulls will offer him the opportunity to have the ball in his hands and more freedom to pass and score. “Chicago needed an engine for its offense and the Bulls get it with Giddey.”
The trade is the latest development in what Giddey described as a “roller coaster” third year in the league in his end-of-season exit interview.
Giddey was under the microscope, not only for his performances on the court, but also for accusations of an inappropriate relationship with a minor.
Newport Beach police announced in January that they had been “unable to corroborate any criminal activity” by Giddey and would not be pressing charges, while the NBA also closed its investigation into the Australian point guard in May.
Speaking to reporters in his exit interview, Giddey reflected on being benched for the first time in his career in Oklahoma City’s playoff series against Dallas, admitting that while it was a “bitter pill to swallow,” it was the right decision by coach Mark Daigneault.
Josh Giddey has been traded. Mike Mulholland//Keynote USA/Getty Images/AFP Source: AFP
“Coach did what he thought was best for the team and, to be honest, I probably agree with him,” Giddey said.
“As hard as it is for a player to sit there and say, ‘I should be on the bench,’ at that point Caso (Cason Wallace), Isaiah (Joe), Wig (Aaron Wiggins), these guys were probably better in this series. for Dallas.
“It’s a tough pill to swallow, but for a 21-year-old to go through this now is probably a good thing and I just don’t want to feel this feeling again. “It will make me a much better and stronger player and not allow something like this to happen again.”
Obviously it won’t be now, with Giddey set to be a key pillar for a Chicago team that has been in the playoff picture for a few years but has never taken the next step to contend for a title.
It will be interesting to see what the Bulls do next, particularly when it comes to Zach LaVine’s contract, as Giddey’s move potentially suggests they are investing in the future and willing to undergo a restructuring of sorts.
That would be Giddey’s best path to more time with the ball in his hands since it will be difficult for him to become a full-time point guard with LaVine and DeMar DeRozan on the roster.
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