Bulls trade Alex Caruso to OKC for Josh Giddey

[sco]

The only legit concern I have is featured Giddey in Chicago fills the stat sheet in a big way on a bad team just in time for him to get overpaid significantly.

Although if we're just on the precipice of major cap jumps, it might be alright in the medium/long run.

I don't see many paths to upside in this deal. We're not going to be good, and even if Giddey plays well, we're going to immediately be overpaying him as a "core piece" of a team that is not in any universe anything more than a 6-8 seed type team. At best.

Are we closer this morning to a team we can be proud of and admire and that will give us a fun playoff series than we were yesterday?
I don't think so.

Change for change's sake isn't a plan, it's just hope.

This isn’t change for change sake. It’s an explicit at admission that the current roster a failure and it’s time to go young. I expect DeRozan to be gone too.

I think win now mode is over. Rebuild incoming.

While I want that to be true, I think AK is still focused on win now. If it was a tank-focused deal, he'd go for draft picks. Now, I agree with you that if he trades DD, then the tank is on. Now that said, the only way I think we trade Demar is if some team offers him a 3 year deal. I expect Demar back on a horrid 2/$80 deal.

[SfBull]

Hand the keys to Giddey and see how looks running the offense again. DeRozan simply has to go for this to work. Could even start Giddey at SF because of his size and rebounding ability.

Please let this signal the beginning of a true rebuild. This was clearly not a “win now” move.

A rebuilding including trading Zach,DDR and Vuc?
Hopefully yes!

[MikeDC]

I think people should pump the brakes on saying this trade is the start of a rebuild.

It's becoming very apparent that the Bulls are refusing draft compensation and opting for players in some lame attempt to remain competitive.

LOL, they're starting a rebuild whether they know it or not.

Unintentional and without picks, cap space, or high potential young prospects. It's a bold strategy, Cotton.

[SfBull]

We can’t even make the playoffs. Giddey started for a top 5 team at 21 years old. He struggled in the playoffs at 21. So what? DeRozan struggles in the postseason at 35, can’t shoot 3s and doesn’t play defense. And you want give him $40 million per and continue to waste time.

I’d rather have Giddey than the garbage in this draft. He would easily be a top 5 pick in this draft too.

he absolutely would not. high draft picks have superstar hopes. and the bulls need a superstar. giddey is just a nice player

High draft picks do have superstar hopes, but those expectations are rarely met even in the best draft years. This year also isn't considered a particularly strong draft, so i'd rather go with the young player who already shows he can play in the nba rather than the guy who might be an nba player, let alone a star.

There's no reason for not going with both options unless you have a weak FO like the Bulls.

[SfBull]

Hand the keys to Giddey and see how looks running the offense again. DeRozan simply has to go for this to work. Could even start Giddey at SF because of his size and rebounding ability.

Please let this signal the beginning of a true rebuild. This was clearly not a “win now” move.

It’s both a win now and future move. Giddey is a starting level player and he’s young. Maybe not better than AC right now but he’s a different type of player and could improve. Just last year he was considered a stud and future star.

If they wanted to rebuild or tank they would have simply gone the 2nd round draft pick route or salary dump.

Re tooling is probably the better word here. I expect Zach and Vuc to be next, maybe even Lonzo while Demar will re sign.

Keeping DeMar and adding younger and faster players for offense seems like nonsense.
More trades are needed.

[sco]

Hand the keys to Giddey and see how looks running the offense again. DeRozan simply has to go for this to work. Could even start Giddey at SF because of his size and rebounding ability.

Please let this signal the beginning of a true rebuild. This was clearly not a “win now” move.

It’s both a win now and future move. Giddey is a starting level player and he’s young. Maybe not better than AC right now but he’s a different type of player and could improve. Just last year he was considered a stud and future star.

If they wanted to rebuild or tank they would have simply gone the 2nd round draft pick route or salary dump.

Re tooling is probably the better word here. I expect Zach and Vuc to be next, maybe even Lonzo while Demar will re sign.

Keeping DeMar and adding younger and faster players for offense seems like nonsense.
More trades are needed.

You are ascribing logic to the FO. That usually doesn't work. They're keeping Demar. I can't see either LA team being able to pony-up enough to nab him for more than we offered.

[dougthonus]

While I want that to be true, I think AK is still focused on win now. If it was a tank-focused deal, he'd go for draft picks. Now, I agree with you that if he trades DD, then the tank is on. Now that said, the only way I think we trade Demar is if some team offers him a 3 year deal. I expect Demar back on a horrid 2/$80 deal.

Just got done talking with KC Johnson while recording our latest Big Red Bus episode (will be posted later tonight when Fred gets off work), and KC was of the opinion (not inside sourced, just his opinion) that he thinks there's a good chance DeMar is not back after this trade.

He noted there was much less momentum around them bringing back DeMar than there seemed to be with them bringing back Vuc last year and that DeMar wants to win and DeMar really, really loved Caruso. Between the poor fit / DeRozan's beliefs there may be less desire from both parties about a reunion.

[sco]

While I want that to be true, I think AK is still focused on win now. If it was a tank-focused deal, he'd go for draft picks. Now, I agree with you that if he trades DD, then the tank is on. Now that said, the only way I think we trade Demar is if some team offers him a 3 year deal. I expect Demar back on a horrid 2/$80 deal.

Just got done talking with KC Johnson while recording our latest Big Red Bus episode (will be posted later tonight when Fred gets off work), and KC was of the opinion (not inside sourced, just his opinion) that he thinks there's a good chance DeMar is not back after this trade.

He noted there was much less momentum around them bringing back DeMar than there seemed to be with them bringing back Vuc last year and that DeMar wants to win and DeMar really, really loved Caruso. Between the poor fit / DeRozan's beliefs there may be less desire from both parties about a reunion.

Thanks for sharing Doug!

That would be awesome. Demar coming back would really help accelerate our rebuild.

I'm sure that it wouldn't change things, but keeping Zach in a pump-&-dump season would be the smart move in that scenario. He won't add many wins, but keeping him might nab us a 1st that we can't like get for him now.

[dougthonus]

I'm sure that it wouldn't change things, but keeping Zach in a pump-&-dump season would be the smart move in that scenario. He won't add many wins, but keeping him might nab us a 1st that we can't like get for him now.

We discussed that as well as a logical next step. He thinks they're aggressively shopping Zach but there is a chance this happens if we can't find a trade we like.

[RedBulls23]

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.

Would rather pay a 22 year old starter than a 31 year old backup. Makes sense for our impending rebuild.

I never said anything about paying a 31 year old.

[Kurt Heimlich]

If they dump Lavine, Sign and trade or let DDR walk and effectively tank for the 2025 draft (to keep the pick top 10 and thus ours) then the GIddey move at least makes sense and may actually be some sign of AKME actually formulating and maybe even performing a semi coherent long term roster building strategy. Zero confidence in their ability to do it on a high level though lol.

[WindyCityBorn]

While I want that to be true, I think AK is still focused on win now. If it was a tank-focused deal, he'd go for draft picks. Now, I agree with you that if he trades DD, then the tank is on. Now that said, the only way I think we trade Demar is if some team offers him a 3 year deal. I expect Demar back on a horrid 2/$80 deal.

Just got done talking with KC Johnson while recording our latest Big Red Bus episode (will be posted later tonight when Fred gets off work), and KC was of the opinion (not inside sourced, just his opinion) that he thinks there's a good chance DeMar is not back after this trade.

He noted there was much less momentum around them bringing back DeMar than there seemed to be with them bringing back Vuc last year and that DeMar wants to win and DeMar really, really loved Caruso. Between the poor fit / DeRozan's beliefs there may be less desire from both parties about a reunion.

Good I love what DeMar did here, but it’s time to move on. Hopefully he goes to a winner too. Same for Zach.

[tunit213]

So with Giddy running point, whats everyones thoughts of getting John Collins back in a Lavine trade? We can use athleticism in the front court.

[MGB8]

If they dump Lavine, Sign and trade or let DDR walk and effectively tank for the 2025 draft (to keep the pick top 10 and thus ours) then the GIddey move at least makes sense and may actually be some sign of AKME actually formulating and maybe even performing a semi coherent long term roster building strategy. Zero confidence in their ability to do it on a high level though lol.

My personal guess is more along the lines of DDR’s price to stay being something that is hard to fit, particularly where there is no market for LaVine that would even just be moving him (without attaching assets) for space.

AKME has shown a lot of focus on, for lack of a better term, “saving face/pride.” Paying an asset to move LaVine, IMO, would be just too much to swallow - too much mistake to admit - so it isn’t going to happen.

At the same time, they are not allowed to go into lux tax, so they can’t resign DDR UNLESS they move LaVine, first. The inability to move LaVine for at least a colorable positive return, as opposed to a pure “will pay what I need to to dump”, basically means that they not able to go particularly high for DDR - even though they would rather keep DDR and move LaVine.

I think the Giddey move signals that the “play around DDR” plan is over, and now it’s the “LaVine is here for at least a while longer, let’s try to salvage something - at minimum his trade value.” If the plan that they wanted had materialized (move LaVine, resign DDR)… Caruso would have stayed.

So I expect that we will try to sign and trade DDR to a contender for very little return, keep Zach because no market for him, keep Vuc because, again, “save face,” resign Pat (“save face”), and very possibly draft a C to replace Drummond, who walks (and Craig also walks, but Bulls resign Javonte).

[kodo]

Interesting, Fischer said one of the key reasons we were so focused on Giddey is (lack of) injuries. He played 76 & 80 games last 2 seasons. The FO basically saw the lack of availability of Caruso, Lavine, and Lonzo as one of the major reasons we didn't perform as expected.

As a Bulls PG, I wonder how long he wears a BUlls uni til he tears his ACL.

[MrSparkle]

Interesting, Fischer said one of the key reasons we were so focused on Giddey is (lack of) injuries. He played 76 & 80 games last 2 seasons. The FO basically saw the lack of availability of Caruso, Lavine, and Lonzo as one of the major reasons we didn't perform as expected.

As a Bulls PG, I wonder how long he wears a BUlls uni til he tears his ACL.

I actually tuned in for this debut SL game… just saying, it was my first impression.

https://youtu.be/pEMD1RE8Zng?si=wYS7ag7V48SYkeQO

[kodo]

I'm sure that it wouldn't change things, but keeping Zach in a pump-&-dump season would be the smart move in that scenario. He won't add many wins, but keeping him might nab us a 1st that we can't like get for him now.

We discussed that as well as a logical next step. He thinks they're aggressively shopping Zach but there is a chance this happens if we can't find a trade we like.

Re-establishing Lavine's value was always the smarter move vs just salary dumping him in his worst year.

[jnrjr79]

I'm sure that it wouldn't change things, but keeping Zach in a pump-&-dump season would be the smart move in that scenario. He won't add many wins, but keeping him might nab us a 1st that we can't like get for him now.

We discussed that as well as a logical next step. He thinks they're aggressively shopping Zach but there is a chance this happens if we can't find a trade we like.

Re-establishing Lavine's value was always the smarter move vs just salary dumping him in his worst year.

It's not smarter if he hurts himself again.

I totally understand the "rehab Zach's value" argument, but people seem to make it as though it doesn't have any potential downside.

[kodo]

You read about offers for Caruso including top 10 picks,the thing can simply be our FO disliking drafting picks or being utterly incompetent for using them when available ( like picking Pat and Terry).

[FriedRise]

You read about offers for Caruso including top 10 picks,the thing can simply be our FO disliking drafting picks or being utterly incompetent for using them when available ( like picking Pat and Terry).

lmaooo. Well when you put it that way, I'd take one #6 by Presti over 3 #10s by AK.