Bulls trade Alex Caruso to OKC for Josh Giddey

[Jez2983]

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OOF

I just don't know how this works out. The guy was on the #1 3pt shooting team last year. They played 5-out to the point that they didn't trade for a big man at the deadline to help their rebounding. They were THAT committed to stretching the floor.

Our spacing is going to be way worse than anything he has ever played with.

This tweet is just so damn pointless, it literally means nothing.

Giddey has improved his 3 point percentage every year in the league, he's gone up 7.4% over his 3 years in the league.

26.3% 1st year
32.5% 2nd year
33.7% 3rd year

Also like to add, how many of those 'within 6 feet' shots were him yeeting an end of shot clock 3 because the ball mistakenly ended up with him under pressure at the end of a possession? Raw data tells nothing.

[Dan Z]

People like to point out that he was out of the rotation against Dallas in the WCF. OKC lost 4-2. Maybe they should've played him more?

They lost game six by one point, so it was a close series. The issue wasn't Giddey it was OKC's lack of rebounding. In game 6 Lively had 15 rebounds.

[pylb]

I don't hate the trade. Sure it would have been nice to get some picks back, but I'm happy we moved on from Caruso.

He was a hell of a player, but he's getting older and his style of play leaves him prone to injury.

Giddey had a disappointing year but he's only 21 and will have the ball in his hands more without sga. Coby showed improved playmaking but I think he can benefit from playing off the ball more.

I just hope if Giddey doesn't show anything special they move on from him quickly instead of falling for the sunk cost fallacy.

[chicago paxsons]

1 or 2 second round picks would be okay with me. It's better than no picks. Keep in mind the Bulls owe four future 2nd round picks to other teams (2024-2027). I know 2nd round picks have limited value, but at a certain point it's good to replenish them. Having a 2nd round pick is how the Bulls got one of their better players (Ayo).

I don't disagree, very much the opposite, but considering how much okc has valued acquiring picks, i think people expecting okc to give up picks are underestimating how much okc actually value their picks.

If anything, that makes okc a poor trade partner when trying to get picks, but even when including the players in this draft, i think giddey is one of the better young players in the league to trade for, especially since his value is lower than it used to be.

Oklahoma City has 37 picks. It’s going to be very hard to hang on to that many picks given that they already have many long term pieces. I

Even knowing that, it doesn't mean they are willing to trade them yet. I wouldn't be surprised if they held onto they're picks and just traded them for future picks so they have perpetual draft assets until they need them. They certainly don't need them right now, but that doesn't mean they're just going to dump them for scraps to be nice.

[chicago paxsons]

People like to point out that he was out of the rotation against Dallas in the WCF. OKC lost 4-2. Maybe they should've played him more?

They lost game six by one point, so it was a close series. The issue wasn't Giddey it was OKC's lack of rebounding. In game 6 Lively had 15 rebounds.

And one of the things giddey's good at is rebounding.

[Dan Z]

People like to point out that he was out of the rotation against Dallas in the WCF. OKC lost 4-2. Maybe they should've played him more?

They lost game six by one point, so it was a close series. The issue wasn't Giddey it was OKC's lack of rebounding. In game 6 Lively had 15 rebounds.

And one of the things giddey's good at is rebounding.

Yes, but he wasn't going to stop a big like Lively from getting rebounds.

[chicago paxsons]

They lost game six by one point, so it was a close series. The issue wasn't Giddey it was OKC's lack of rebounding. In game 6 Lively had 15 rebounds.

And one of the things giddey's good at is rebounding.

Yes, but he wasn't going to stop a big like Lively from getting rebounds.

Fair, but he would have helped against whoever his matchup was.

[Dan Z]

And one of the things giddey's good at is rebounding.

Yes, but he wasn't going to stop a big like Lively from getting rebounds.

Fair, but he would have helped against whoever his matchup was.

Who was he defending: Kyrie or Luka? Both of them are tough match-ups for him.

[chicago paxsons]

Yes, but he wasn't going to stop a big like Lively from getting rebounds.

Fair, but he would have helped against whoever his matchup was.

Who was he defending: Kyrie or Luka? Both of them are tough match-ups for him.

Sorry if i wasn't clear. I meant he would have helped on the boards against whoever his matchup was, as long as it wasn't lively. Irving and doncic are tough matchups defensively for everyone.

[Dominator83]

1 or 2 second round picks would be okay with me. It's better than no picks. Keep in mind the Bulls owe four future 2nd round picks to other teams (2024-2027). I know 2nd round picks have limited value, but at a certain point it's good to replenish them. Having a 2nd round pick is how the Bulls got one of their better players (Ayo).

I don't disagree, very much the opposite, but considering how much okc has valued acquiring picks, i think people expecting okc to give up picks are underestimating how much okc actually value their picks.

If anything, that makes okc a poor trade partner when trying to get picks, but even when including the players in this draft, i think giddey is one of the better young players in the league to trade for, especially since his value is lower than it used to be.

That's true, but just because Presti acquires picks doesn't mean he won't trade them for the right deal.

If the Bulls asked for a protected first (say 1-20) or two 2nd round picks do you think Presti walks away? Perhaps, but I think the Bulls should've been willing to walk away too.

Giddey is okay, but he's not someone that I think will turn the Bulls around on his own (not that anyone expects that). I also think Caruso had value around the league and if a trade with OKC couldn't be worked out then they could look elsewhere.

We can draft the next Dwayne Wade at #11 and it still wouldn't be enough to turn this team around. We are so far away from any kind of serious contention it's depressing.

But I love this trade. These are the kind of deals we need to be making with our mid 3. Don't stop now AKME. Burn it to the ground.

[Dan Z]

I don't disagree, very much the opposite, but considering how much okc has valued acquiring picks, i think people expecting okc to give up picks are underestimating how much okc actually value their picks.

If anything, that makes okc a poor trade partner when trying to get picks, but even when including the players in this draft, i think giddey is one of the better young players in the league to trade for, especially since his value is lower than it used to be.

That's true, but just because Presti acquires picks doesn't mean he won't trade them for the right deal.

If the Bulls asked for a protected first (say 1-20) or two 2nd round picks do you think Presti walks away? Perhaps, but I think the Bulls should've been willing to walk away too.

Giddey is okay, but he's not someone that I think will turn the Bulls around on his own (not that anyone expects that). I also think Caruso had value around the league and if a trade with OKC couldn't be worked out then they could look elsewhere.

We can draft the next Dwayne Wade at #11 and it still wouldn't be enough to turn this team around. We are so far away from any kind of serious contention it's depressing.

But I love this trade. These are the kind of deals we need to be making with our mid 3. Don't stop now AKME. Burn it to the ground.

I think whatever they decide to do with DDR will say a lot about the direction of the team.

[SfBull]

I like Giddey but this trade should include picks.

[Charlesareed]

I like giddy but not for AC we and the no picks is a issue when we could’ve gotten better value out of one of the most sought out players in the league bring back GARPAX

[ImSlower]

What an absolutely terrific trade for Oklahoma City. They didn't want Giddey whatsoever, and got a S-tier glue-guy who might get them over the hump and into the 2025 WCF.

[samwana]

Cowley spoke about the picks that were offered for Caruso, there were only picks offered in this draft, because nobody thinks much of this draft. It normally is a crapshoot, but this year the #20 could be the best player in the draft even more than any other year. Nobody was offering future picks and definitely not for next year.

He also says that DDR probably thinks about where to go more, now that Caruso is gone. That would be too good. I like DDR he is a great human being, but he just doesn't fit with where we should go.

[FecesOfDeath]

I think the big hope for AKME is that the change of scenery and the expected increased workload for Giddey leads to a Jalen Brunson type of leap in production, and aside from strength, I think Giddey is more physically gifted in every way. The question will be whether Giddey can match all the other things that elevated Brunson to where he is today.

[step]

Cowley spoke about the picks that were offered for Caruso, there were only picks offered in this draft, because nobody thinks much of this draft.

While the take on the draft quality is accurate, the current/upcoming draft is generally the picks most teams trade the most as they have more of a known quantity about it. The likely placement of said pick etc.

Teams are more reluctant to trade for future first rounders as they're unknown... the talent of that draft class and the state of the other team etc. Unless they're largely in a clear rebuild or moving towards that, which many argue we should be... but that's beside the point.

Plus it's highly doubtful that we as a team who's MO is to compete is going to send AC out for future first rounders in like 2028 and beyond. Bit hard to improve incrementally without any new pieces coming in.

[kulaz3000]

What an absolutely terrific trade for Oklahoma City. They didn't want Giddey whatsoever, and got a S-tier glue-guy who might get them over the hump and into the 2025 WCF.

To say that they didn't want him whatsoever is beyond untrue. He has started every single game in the regular season for them his entire career. You don't start a young player like him if he isn't a pivotal part of your franchise. The problem is that as they've continued to construct their team around Shai, the ball has continued to be in Josh's hands less and less, and as I and others have stated, Josh is at his best with the ball in his hands to he can create and facilitate plays, he simply wasn't going to reach his full potential there with his game. Not that he has helped himself by not being more of a consistent shooter.

Point being, they invested a lot in him, and both he and the team benefited greatly, but I think they just hit the cross roads with him, knowing that he just isn't the right fit for their team. Lets not forget, Sam Presti also traded James Harden basically at the same point, because he too needed the ball in his hands to reach his full potential and at the time, the Thunder had both KD and Westbrook who commanded most of the touches. That's not to say that Josh is going to be another Harden, nor are they the same quality of player but I think the reasoning was somewhat similar, just with a less quality player.

I think at point guard, if that is indeed where the Bulls intend to play him the most, I think many Bulls fans are going to be pleased with the outcome and how much more productive he can be with more opportunity to handle the ball. He is without question needing to improve his shot, and needs work on his defense, but if we can round out our roster with more youth, we have the capability of really being a fun, fast and hopefully athletic team, that actually is fun to watch again, albeit probably with bad defense. At the very least it would be a refreshing change.

[Jstock12]

I think the big hope for AKME is that the change of scenery and the expected increased workload for Giddey leads to a Jalen Brunson type of leap in production, and aside from strength, I think Giddey is more physically gifted in every way. The question will be whether Giddey can match all the other things that elevated Brunson to where he is today.

Not having a reliable 3PT shot that defenses have to respect is just brutal for a playmaker. If Giddey could fix that, it would really open up his game to an All-Star level even. But man that's a tough thing to develop. Of course you have rare instances of a non-shooter learning to shoot, but 9 times out of 10 they never do. Maybe Lonzo could give him his jumpshot training regimen.

[MrSparkle]

I also could see Caruso being the better player in 4 years, fwiw. Giddey kind of seems like the type who’ll be out the league.

AK is really banking on this shooting coach. It’s borderline insanity. The best teams still shoot *very well* from atleast 4 positions on the floor.

My God I'm going to have an aneurysm from the amount of stupid takes in this thread.

One more time.

26.3% 1st year
32.5% 2nd year
33.7% 3rd year

He's improved his shot every year.

Giddey has talent, but there have been games i’ve seen where the guy looked like a clown in the NBA. His ceiling his fine but his floor is low, ala Vuc, and I think the playoff minute snub is very telling. He couldn’t crack 30 mpg; then he got DNP’d.

His ankles sometimes look like they’re about to dissolve. In fact his NBA debut was kind of like that, with an injury.

Meanwhile, Caruso is probably joining the Gafford and DJJ club. He’ll be starting in a finals game in the next 1-3 years (if not more). I think he has room for a jump, because now he’s gonna have more spacing than ever, and his shot did improve. He’s also in great shape and a very hard worker.

AK is trying to build an NBL team. I bet Vuc sticks around too. He’s probably thinking of ways to get that man some better PnR passes. Our defense is going to be BBQ, and we still won’t have a guy capable of penetrating the rim.

Basically this trade is yet another high risk chip that may do nothing for AK. 1y rfa who needs to strongly develop his shot, coming off a quiet but very awkward underage sex scandal. Bad return for an all-defensive player in his prime.

AK doesn’t have room for risks anymore. Unless he plans to try and Cooper Flag it; but we don’t know that.