Thursday’s flip of Alex Caruso and Josh Giddey marked the first trade for the Chicago Bulls in nearly three calendar years. Arturas Karnisovas and the rest of the front office have started to put some action behind their claims that real change is finally coming in Chicago. Caruso was undoubtedly their most valuable trade asset, with Zach LaVine next on the list. Opting to keep their two-time All-Defensive team guard through the last two trade deadlines in favor of competing for a postseason berth, which some believe was due to an ownership mandate to do so, might have cost them several first-round draft selections. Regardless, Karnisovas turned an aging role player into a 21-year-old true point guard, something the Bulls have sorely missed since Lonzo Ball’s injury two seasons ago. How do the NBA world and Chicago’s fanbase see the transaction, and what else will the front office build around him?
Much of Chicago agrees that the Bulls were right to start flipping aging assets with expiring contracts for untapped potential or draft stock, but why wait so long? Rumors earlier this week hinted that ownership may have passed down a mandate to compete for the playoffs, keeping the core intact for a few months longer. Buyers at the trade deadline will sometimes be irresponsibly aggressive in improving their roster, especially in retaliation to activity from rivaling clubs. Golden State was reportedly ready to fork up two first-round draft selections in exchange for Caruso, an investment in the future that could help right the ship in Chicago.
The main red flag for Bulls fans regarding this deal is not returning any draft stock for their most valuable asset. While adding a 21-year-old starting-caliber player at their most prominent position of need is never wrong, draft capital would’ve added delayed gratification to Chicago’s portfolio. Considering they turned away multiple first-round pick offers just months prior, coupled with seeing Oklahoma City’s eight first-round selections in the next three years, the frustration is understandable.
Much like watching Daniel Gafford and Derrick Jones Jr. compete on the biggest stage in basketball a few weeks ago, Chicago will likely see Caruso in similar situations for years to follow. After the regular season, the Thunder were the top-seeded team in the Western Conference. They fell short to the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks in the postseason, partially due to their inability to contain Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Caruso’s defensive abilities will bolster the reigning number-one seed to even greater heights as their roster matures.
Many analysts agree that this was a perfect deal for the Thunder and helped their future much more than Chicago’s. Adrian Wojnarowski hinted at an incoming dynasty possibly forming, similar to Golden State’s acquisition of Andre Iguodala before they won several NBA Championships.
After this deal was done, the first indication out of the Windy City was a collective sigh of relief. Their first trade in over 1,000 days meant real change was happening, and although this wasn’t a flashy return, it did fill a need and add great potential for a franchise point guard. This is just the tip of the iceberg for roster reconstruction for Karnisovas’s group, but it is trending in the correct direction.
Who is next to go, and what else can AK add to Chicago’s new-look lineup?
