Bulls trade Alex Caruso to OKC for Josh Giddey

[RedBulls23]

If they are actually tanking, then the move makes some sense. I just fear they aren't.

And still think it sucks they didn't get any short of draft capital, especially if they are actually going to rebuild. You have to have plus draft capital in a rebuild. Just going with just your own 1sts and no 2nds, is a greater recipe for failure.

[DuckIII]

And it's not about caring that he fits next to those guys long term. It's that the Bulls still plan on trying to win and keeping those guys.

It is now officially very much in play that this is no longer the Bulls plan.

[WindyCityBorn]

Horrific trade.

We just saw Giddey be absolutely unplayable vs the Mavs in the playoffs.

He’s 21 years old.

[fleet]

There’s gotta be picks on this, right?

Eh. What players are this FO drafting? Manuro. Nothing matters.

[WindyCityBorn]

AC had more value than this, but when you have a bad EVP dealing with a great EVP, obviously the bad EVP gets swindled.

Giddey got benched because he can't defend or shoot in,
the playoffs, and the Bulls decide to trade their best asset for him? On top of him being a terrible fit with DeMar and Vuc.

I could not care less about his fit with two players we should be getting rid of soon as possible.

[DuckIII]

Caruso for Giddey and Dieng is the trade I pined for last season. It only happened due to Giddey having his off court issue.

Giddey was way underutilized. He needs the ball in his hands. He can make Coby Ayo and Pat much better. Get him a lob threat and we may have something. Add more shooters.

This is def the end of DDR.

Ideally we keep Zach because Giddey will up his value like crazy.

If we reconfigure the team to try and play to his strengths awesome. I just don't see a chance in hell of it happening.

As much as I think AK has been an imbecile the last couple of years, I put the likelihood that this is exactly what is about to happen at about 70%.

This feels like it means what it logically should mean.

[kodo]

And it's not about caring that he fits next to those guys long term. It's that the Bulls still plan on trying to win and keeping those guys.

It is now officially very much in play that this is no longer the Bulls plan.

I have no idea how a starting lineup of Coby/Giddey/Demar/X/Vucevic defends a team from not scoring 130 every night. You can just do a light jog and outrun our SF & C downcourt for a transition bucket. We were a bottom third defense with Caruso and Drummond, one is gone and the other most likely gone. DJ has been long gone.

Giddey over Caruso makes no sense if the intention is to win in 2024-25.

[League Circles]

I'm surprised more people don't see this as a win-now and win-later move.

Yes of course Caruso is a bit better now, but is a redundancy as a 3 and D guy with Ayo and Patrick, whereas Giddey clearly helps in two areas of weakness - passing and rebounding. He's probably our best passer and our 3rd best rebounder immediately.

I think we just got a bit better in a vacuum at least. Obviously the biggest value of Giddey is potentially long term but that doesn't mean he can't help right away.

[RedBulls23]

All in all, this more bad asset management by the FO.

You certainly could have gotten more for AC at the deadline when teams have the chance of having him for 2 playoff runs. Less playoff runs makes the value certainly godown.

[League Circles]

And it's not about caring that he fits next to those guys long term. It's that the Bulls still plan on trying to win and keeping those guys.

It is now officially very much in play that this is no longer the Bulls plan.

I have no idea how a starting lineup of Coby/Giddey/Demar/X/Vucevic defends a team from not scoring 130 every night. You can just do a light jog and outrun our SF & C downcourt for a transition bucket. We were a bottom third defense with Caruso and Drummond, one is gone and the other most likely gone. DJ has been long gone.

Giddey over Caruso makes no sense if the intention is to win in 2024-25.

Simply put, Vuc cannot be our starting C this season with this group. It would have to be our #11 pick, possibly Drummond, or possibly another vet min FA. Maybe Vuc will be traded, benched, or even stretch waived.

[DuckIII]

FYI, this is what blowing it up looks like. Enjoy.

This doesn’t even sniff what blowing it up looks like.

[RedBulls23]

AC had more value than this, but when you have a bad EVP dealing with a great EVP, obviously the bad EVP gets swindled.

Giddey got benched because he can't defend or shoot in,
the playoffs, and the Bulls decide to trade their best asset for him? On top of him being a terrible fit with DeMar and Vuc.

I could not care less about his fit with two players we should be getting rid of soon as possible.

Well you should care that he can't shoot and is a **** defender and Bulls have decide they want to extend this flawed player the very next off-season.

[Guru]

It is now officially very much in play that this is no longer the Bulls plan.

I have no idea how a starting lineup of Coby/Giddey/Demar/X/Vucevic defends a team from not scoring 130 every night. You can just do a light jog and outrun our SF & C downcourt for a transition bucket. We were a bottom third defense with Caruso and Drummond, one is gone and the other most likely gone. DJ has been long gone.

Giddey over Caruso makes no sense if the intention is to win in 2024-25.

Simply put, Vuc cannot be our starting C this season with this group. It would have to be our #11 pick, possibly Drummond, or possibly another vet min FA. Maybe Vuc will be traded, benched, or even stretch waived.

Vuc will end up in Memphis

[Michael Jackson]

All in all, this more bad asset management by the FO.

You certainly could have gotten more for AC at the deadline when teams have the chance of having him for 2 playoff runs. Less playoff runs makes the value certainly godown.

Maybe. Contenders rarely have much to give up... so it would likely be filler and a late 1st round pick. Doug has preached all off season that AC's value is low because of his contract situation and it is. If he had 2 years he is netting way more for sure. OKC is a good fit because they will be able to pay him next year still but soon will be in tax hell.

[Dan Z]

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.

I think it depends on the rest of the moves AK makes, especially DDR.

He probably thinks that Giddey replaces Lonzo and might still have a "win now" approach.

[madvillian]

Caruso for Giddey and Dieng is the trade I pined for last season. It only happened due to Giddey having his off court issue.

Giddey was way underutilized. He needs the ball in his hands. He can make Coby Ayo and Pat much better. Get him a lob threat and we may have something. Add more shooters.

This is def the end of DDR.

Ideally we keep Zach because Giddey will up his value like crazy.

If we reconfigure the team to try and play to his strengths awesome. I just don't see a chance in hell of it happening.

As much as I think AK has been an imbecile the last couple of years, I put the likelihood that this is exactly what is about to happen at about 70%.

This feels like it means what it logically should mean.

The data point that "15 offers have been floated around Lavine" intrigues me. But, I'm a show me fan at this point. Show me, I'll believe. Until then, I assume the worst, as we've seen that for awhile here.

[Dan Z]

All in all, this more bad asset management by the FO.

You certainly could have gotten more for AC at the deadline when teams have the chance of having him for 2 playoff runs. Less playoff runs makes the value certainly godown.

Maybe. Contenders rarely have much to give up... so it would likely be filler and a late 1st round pick. Doug has preached all off season that AC's value is low because of his contract situation and it is. If he had 2 years he is netting way more for sure. OKC is a good fit because they will be able to pay him next year still but soon will be in tax hell.

Obviously they should've trade him last year, which is something many people here wanted to do.

Holding on to him lead to...no playoffs and less value.

[DuckIII]

Read on Twitter

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

I hooked up with a 17 year old all the time when I was 19. She’s upstairs right now watching a movie with our 20 year old son.

[madvillian]

AC had more value than this, but when you have a bad EVP dealing with a great EVP, obviously the bad EVP gets swindled.

Giddey got benched because he can't defend or shoot in,
the playoffs, and the Bulls decide to trade their best asset for him? On top of him being a terrible fit with DeMar and Vuc.

I could not care less about his fit with two players we should be getting rid of soon as possible.

Well you should care that he can't shoot and is a **** defender and Bulls have decide they want to extend this flawed player the very next off-season.

Yea you can't just hand waive away how bad he is on defense. We're going to have a hard time slowing folks down with a Giddy, White Vuc trio and whoever the **** we trot out at the other two spots assuming Zach and Demar are out.

Maybe it all works out, but I got concerns man.

[Michael Jackson]

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

You just ruined my night