Told You So Moment-OKC-Chi

[pipfan]

Great season for OKC-fun team and their future is super-bright

I posted a few times for Vuc/Caruso for Bertains/Dieng/Miami '25 pick
Most OKC fans shot it down, while praising Caruso, saying they had Dort and others for Caruso's role

I honestly think if they did that deal, they beat Dallas. Have Caruso in Giddy/Hayward's minutes in this series and OKC wins it. Vuc could play a bit (15-20 min) and gives size/rebounding. His playoff numbers over his career are solid.

Am I wrong-would this deal have won this series for OKC?

[Texas Chuck]

no way of knowing if they would have beat Dallas.

But a team with Dort and Wallace really probably isn't the primary suitor for Caruso especially if you also ask them to take on Vuc and give up multiple assets like this.

[MoneyTalks41890]

Weird title.

Given that Dort and Wallace were some of the best playoff defenders to date, that Vuc can’t move his feet or shoot this year, and that Presti expressly said they were prioritizing flexibility this summer, I do not think that is a move there’s any regret over.

[jayjaysee]

I do think OKC will be thinking about deals they didn’t do honestly..

But this isn’t one of them.

[Godaddycurse]

I do think OKC will be thinking about deals they didn’t do honestly..

But this isn’t one of them.

Ya either siakam or OG would've been a difference maker... As they are for their current teams right now

[MoneyTalks41890]

I do think OKC will be thinking about deals they didn’t do honestly..

But this isn’t one of them.

The Gafford trade should be one of them.

[ChettheJet]

You can't expect the Bulls to do right by Demar DeRozan and help him with a S&T and then suggest that Vucevic gets traded to OKC and instantly becomes a backup for 15-20 minutes a game. That's downright insulting.

For this trade, this year Dort and Caruso are about the same players, but Dort has shown more scoring in the past while Caruso was on a high this season. If OKC wanted to take a chance they'd look to move Giddey and one or more of their potentially 4 2025 picks for Zach Lavine or the same in a S&T for Demar DeRozan. They get a scorer to help SGA,retain their own defensive guys.

[Devilanche]

I do think OKC will be thinking about deals they didn’t do honestly..

But this isn’t one of them.

The Gafford trade should be one of them.

And the PJ / Olynyk trade as well.

[jayjaysee]

I do think OKC will be thinking about deals they didn’t do honestly..

But this isn’t one of them.

The Gafford trade should be one of them.

And the PJ / Olynyk trade as well.

Yeah, the PJ trade looked rough to a lot of people as it was one of Dallas’ last firsts and was so lightly protected… OKC making the same trade? Would’ve looked a lot differently IMO.

Any of the bigs actually traded would’ve been huge..

But also, no one will be thinking about that if Presti comes out and trades for “….” or gets Paul George to leave LA…

[Devilanche]

The Gafford trade should be one of them.

And the PJ / Olynyk trade as well.

Yeah, the PJ trade looked rough to a lot of people as it was one of Dallas’ last firsts and was so lightly protected… OKC making the same trade? Would’ve looked a lot differently IMO.

Any of the bigs actually traded would’ve been huge..

But also, no one will be thinking about that if Presti comes out and trades for “….” or gets Paul George to leave LA…

Couldn’t OKC make a trade for a big and still find a way to make a big trade in the offseason ?

[jayjaysee]

And the PJ / Olynyk trade as well.

Yeah, the PJ trade looked rough to a lot of people as it was one of Dallas’ last firsts and was so lightly protected… OKC making the same trade? Would’ve looked a lot differently IMO.

Any of the bigs actually traded would’ve been huge..

But also, no one will be thinking about that if Presti comes out and trades for “….” or gets Paul George to leave LA…

Couldn’t OKC make a trade for a big and still find a way to make a big trade in the offseason ?

Obviously.

But people probably are more okay with Presti wanting to see a playoff run if he gets aggressive this summer.

I would have 20-25 million of the cap space reserved to Joe and Wiggins combined. If not, I’d be trading one of them at the draft…

But yeah. If there’s any all-NBA player available this offseason, Presti really should be bidding..

[psman2]

And the PJ / Olynyk trade as well.

Yeah, the PJ trade looked rough to a lot of people as it was one of Dallas’ last firsts and was so lightly protected… OKC making the same trade? Would’ve looked a lot differently IMO.

Any of the bigs actually traded would’ve been huge..

But also, no one will be thinking about that if Presti comes out and trades for “….” or gets Paul George to leave LA…

Couldn’t OKC make a trade for a big and still find a way to make a big trade in the offseason ?

Yep, no reason for OKC to totally sit on their hands this deadline. They had plenty of spare assets to "waste" one on someone to help this playoffs and still have the ability to win any bidding war next offseason.

[pipfan]

But, OKC could have kept all their guys and switch Caruso for Hayward/Giddy's minutes. They also played some other guys who aren't in Caruso's league. Honestly, you can never have enough awesome defenders-Caruso is great on ball and on team D-he's the Bulls' highest impact player.

Vuc could have helped a big, set screens/rebound/score a bit. Not a huge difference maker, but a different look

So, with this deal, does OKC beat Dallas? In such a close series, I think so. I know it's a pointless argument, but so are most of the topics on this Board

[Texas Chuck]

But, OKC could have kept all their guys and switch Caruso for Hayward/Giddy's minutes. They also played some other guys who aren't in Caruso's league. Honestly, you can never have enough awesome defenders-Caruso is great on ball and on team D-he's the Bulls' highest impact player.

Vuc could have helped a big, set screens/rebound/score a bit. Not a huge difference maker, but a different look

So, with this deal, does OKC beat Dallas? In such a close series, I think so. I know it's a pointless argument, but so are most of the topics on this Board

I mean its an improvement on their team, but they were playing Wallace half the game or less, they could have solved the Giddey/Hayward minutes with him as is, but chose not to, right? Could argue Caruso is better than him of course.

Just don't think its clear enough to rise to a told you so and definitely don't see Caruso as a priority add. Lots of posters have speculated they should have been more aggressive at the deadline, but I feel like there were deals that made more sense on paper than Caruso/Vuc for them.

[Devilanche]

But, OKC could have kept all their guys and switch Caruso for Hayward/Giddy's minutes. They also played some other guys who aren't in Caruso's league. Honestly, you can never have enough awesome defenders-Caruso is great on ball and on team D-he's the Bulls' highest impact player.

Vuc could have helped a big, set screens/rebound/score a bit. Not a huge difference maker, but a different look

So, with this deal, does OKC beat Dallas? In such a close series, I think so. I know it's a pointless argument, but so are most of the topics on this Board

Yea but it’s not a told you so moment.

There was a pretty obvious target that we didn’t end up with . Probably 2 and both end up on the team that knock us out.

[jredsaz]

But, OKC could have kept all their guys and switch Caruso for Hayward/Giddy's minutes. They also played some other guys who aren't in Caruso's league. Honestly, you can never have enough awesome defenders-Caruso is great on ball and on team D-he's the Bulls' highest impact player.

Vuc could have helped a big, set screens/rebound/score a bit. Not a huge difference maker, but a different look

So, with this deal, does OKC beat Dallas? In such a close series, I think so. I know it's a pointless argument, but so are most of the topics on this Board

I agree. Couldn’t guarantee a series win but the teams were so close that kind of talent injection should tip the scales. Caruso would have been valuable and Vuc catching way too much hate for a poor shooting season. He could have offered some very useful minutes.

[jredsaz]

no way of knowing if they would have beat Dallas.

But a team with Dort and Wallace really probably isn't the primary suitor for Caruso especially if you also ask them to take on Vuc and give up multiple assets like this.

Not sure why Vuc is a bad asset. 18/10/3 at 2/40 isn’t bad especially when he offer some skill OKC needs. More than that, having that salary to trade down the line is valuable given their cap sheet and chest of assets.

It definitely would have made them better and in a series in which both teams were SO close I think it’s fair to assume OKC ends up on top. Could also say none of it would have mattered had Luka been 100%