Bulls trade Alex Caruso to OKC for Josh Giddey

[WindyCityBorn]

I'm sure this trade would be viewed differently if Giddey was never involved with that minor, but it doesn't change the fact that we're trading one of our best assets for a guy at his lowest trade value and aren't getting any sweeteners. For a team that's loaded with picks this is unacceptable.

We just traded away our best asset for a guy that on a good team is a backup guard. What are we doing? We're running in place but everybody else is actually running and we'll struggle to win 40 games again with this crap.

It's just more of the same crap. The same crap we've seen since AKME took over. There's no plan, they just make isolated move after isolated move and hope at the end of the day the **** they threw at the wall turns into a a Picasso.

I want to lose if Zach is gone so this is a good move in that way. We definitely just got worse.

[Dan Z]

Does Giddey move to the 3?

At 6”8 he’s going to play every position from 1-4. I expect him to be a PG though or a combo 1-2 between him and Coby .

KC said this as well that he’ll be used as a PG and even mentioned that getting Giddey is proof that they aren’t sold on a Lonzo return.

Do you really want him defending small or power forwards? I don't.

Did he play there on OKC?

I get the idea that he's tall so he can play multiple positions, but I wonder how well that works when you actually try it (I don't have data to back that up).

[jnrjr79]

That would make sense if AKs goal wasn't to try and win with said players.

I highly doubt they are looking for a rebuild. They are looking to dump Zach so they can reup DeMar.

In the sense of short term team building with DeMar and Vuc, this trade makes little sense and in the sense of long term team building, not getting back any picks for easily your best asset and only getting back a very flawed player makes little sense. But AK is great at making moves that make very little sense.

This kind of reminds me of the Butler trade in a really small way. I never bought that Minnesota would walk away over the inclusion of the pick and I definitely don't believe that OKC was unwilling to part with any of there 37 picks. Just dumb.

Additonally, the trade doesn't even help them on the cap sheet right now, and next off- season Giddey has a bigger cap hold and you have to decide to extend him long term. So potentially, you got back zero longterm value for Caruso if they don't extend Giddey.

FWIW, they are saving $1.6 million this year via the trade.

[dukeespn]

Do you guys think this is a tanking move? I don't think the Bulls would even make it to the meaningless 9th-to-10th seed without Caruso's defensive versatility.

Or delusional AK would keep pushing meaningless win-now mode by trading Zach and Vuc for vets?

[HomoSapien]

This kind of reminds me of the Butler trade in a really small way. I never bought that Minnesota would walk away over the inclusion of the pick and I definitely don't believe that OKC was unwilling to part with any of there 37 picks. Just dumb.

Additonally, the trade doesn't even help them on the cap sheet right now, and next off- season Giddey has a bigger cap hold and you have to decide to extend him long term. So potentially, you got back zero longterm value for Caruso if they don't extend Giddey.

FWIW, they are saving $1.6 million this year via the trade.

I fully expect us to bring back JaVonte Green and that he'll replace Caruso's role.

[dougthonus]

Seems like everyone hates this trade, and I am not sure it will work, but trading a 30 year old role player for a high risk high reward 21 year old that has been a 3 year starter seems like a good gamble to me.

[jc23]

How many times will Stacey say "Giddey up!" this season?

[Red8911]

Read on Twitter

A 19 year old should be in jail for dating a 17 year old? People are insane.

Yup people call him a pedo over this. It’s ridiculous. Problem is when it first came out he was getting harassed over that in every arena. It affected him and his game.

He was never even charged for any wrong doing yet people are quick to go off on a 20-21 yr old. Hopefully he’s behind all that and focuses on his game.

[cubd8]

I'm sure this trade would be viewed differently if Giddey was never involved with that minor, but it doesn't change the fact that we're trading one of our best assets for a guy at his lowest trade value and aren't getting any sweeteners. For a team that's loaded with picks this is unacceptable.

Just going to add to my own rant...

There's a good chance Caruso moves the needle for them. Was OKC really going to walk away from this trade if we held firm on asking for one of their 37 picks? Really?

Yeah, I'm not so mad about the player swap, but if there is one freaking team that would give you a pick, this is the one. It's pretty shocking.

It is surprising that the Bulls didn't land any picks from OKC. I don't think the pick needed to be in this year's draft given how down this year is supposed to be, but even getting some protected future 1st round pick....Just seems odd to not get any picks from a team that has more than they could possibly use. Caruso was also supposedly high sought after and the Bulls were supposedly offered 2 1st round picks last trade deadline. Just seems rather extreme to go from a peak of value to trading for a single player who comes with character and ability questions.

[WindyCityBorn]

This trade could be the beginning of a rebuild, wouldn't be surprised to see White or Ayo moved as well. The backcourt is full, no one is taking Ball's expiring contract.

Don’t see Coby being moved unless a team really overpays.

[WindyCityBorn]

Makes me think they may well waive Lonzo or seek medical retirement.

envisioning the worst possible offseason in the wake of this move:

-waive and stretch lonzo instead of just taking the lump this year
-re-sign derozan to a 3 year, $90 million deal
-re-sign patrick williams to a 4 year, $100 million deal
-salary dump lavine to facilitate the above deals; get no picks or meaningful assets back in return
-draft kyle filipowski as a "pro ready rotation big who can space the floor"

I want DeRozan off this team. Would rather keep LaVine.

[cubd8]

Seems like everyone hates this trade, and I am not sure it will work, but trading a 30 year old role player for a high risk high reward 21 year old that has been a 3 year starter seems like a good gamble to me.

Trading Caruso does make sense. He's a very good role player, but he's often injured and now 30 years old. I don't mind that part. I think most people thought that trading with OKC would bring back draft pick(s). Giddey would be a 1st in this draft and he's still only 21, but I think a pick would have been guaranteed.

[League Circles]

Seems like everyone hates this trade, and I am not sure it will work, but trading a 30 year old role player for a high risk high reward 21 year old that has been a 3 year starter seems like a good gamble to me.

Generically, yes. I just want to see other moves to give him the best chance to succeed (on the 2nd team primarily). We didn't do much to address our critical weakness, though playmaking which Giddey provides was close to critical I guess. I still say one of Zach, Ayo or Patrick needs to go. Whoever can bring back the best big. Coby deserves his continued opportunity, and Demar is IMO still a little too good to lose for nothing if you can keep him and stay out of the tax for 2-3 years at most. Part of rebuilding without tanking is to strategically goce guys opportunities that will benefit everyone.

[cubd8]

Do you guys think this is a tanking move? I don't think the Bulls would even make it to the meaningless 9th-to-10th seed without Caruso's defensive versatility.

Or delusional AK would keep pushing meaningless win-now mode by trading Zach and Vuc for vets?

I do not see this as a tanking move. I'm not sure if he starts or not, but they now have a Coby, Ayo and Giddey in the backcourt. I don't think this is likely to make them better or worse, it's just a swap at this point and now we'll see how they handle DeMar and Zach.

[WindyCityBorn]

I've never watched this guy, but on highlights he looks like a homeless man's Luka who can't shoot. But still, a homeless man's Luka is something.

I see him as the primary ball handler with the 2nd team playing 20 mpg.

he's nothing like luka homless man's version of not. he gets hassled off the ball frequently. A lot of times OKC was not comfie with him as the primary handler.

this trade makes zero sense unless we're just going full tear down. but i think the franchise believes they can win 40 games around a Giddey/Vuc/Pat/Coby/Demar team.

They are fools if they believe that is anything worth aspiring to.

If they wanted to win Caruso would not have been traded. This is clearly get worse now in hopes of being better in the future move.

[NZB2323]

Our players don’t have a lot of trade value. We can trade players, but we won’t be getting back a great return for them, which makes the FO hesitant to do trades.

[Dominator83]

Seems like everyone hates this trade, and I am not sure it will work, but trading a 30 year old role player for a high risk high reward 21 year old that has been a 3 year starter seems like a good gamble to me.

Yea i don't know what better players people were expecting us to get for him. Guys like Kuminga weren't even on the table for Caruso. And is Kuminga any better of a prospect than Giddey?? Giddey is 21 and already has 11 career Triple doubles. kuminga doesn't even have that many double-doubles.

Im totally lost as to what better player we could have gotten. Giddey is also better than any late 1st and 2nds. If he was plugged into this draft, he would easily go top 5.

[League Circles]

I think I'm warmin up to this trade quickly. Giddey can really pass, handle the ball and rebound. His scoring and defense aren't good but could improve. Needs work on his shot and continual defense and body improvements but he's a very good prospect for one year of Caruso, and we save some money this year.

It's just key to balance things out. This is too much of a defensive step backwards to not balance it out with another small for (defensive) big, plus draft a 4 or a 5.

[FecesOfDeath]

Considering that Matisse Thybulle was a bit piece in a convoluted four team trade a few years ago that netted the Sixers Jalen McDaniels from Portland and 2nd round draft pick swap with Charlotte, I think the Bulls already surpassed that deal with just Giddey alone for AC.

To think trading AC would net Rudy Gobert levels of compensation is plain madness.

[League Circles]

Giddey's style is a little reminiscent of Toni Kukoc.