The Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder struck a trade on Thursday, swapping guards Alex Caruso and Josh Giddey, respectively, according to ESPN.
This trade is one that gives the Thunder one of the premier two-way guards, as Caruso has established himself as a solid role player with Chicago.
According to ESPN, Caruso is someone Thunder GM Sam Presti "has long pursued" during his team’s run as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference last season.
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Caruso is especially known for his skills on the defensive side of the ball, being named a two-time All-Defensive team honoree in his seven NBA seasons. He made second-team All-Defensive last season after averaging 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.
Caruso, an NBA champion in 2020 during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, averaged a career-high 10.1 points last season with 3.5 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game over 71 contests (57 starts).
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The 30-year-old joins a budding group of stars, including point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and forward Chet Holmgren, that can clearly make another run in the West next season.
On the other side of the trade, the 21-year-old Giddey showed similar promise on both ends of the floor, as he has triple-double potential every time he touches the hardwood.
Giddey, the sixth overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft out of Australia, is simply a playmaker when he has the ball in his hands. He has the ability to shoot, drive and has great court vision to open things up for his teammates. His role with the Thunder made sense considering the shot attempts by "SGA" and Holmgren.
With guard Lonzo Ball still not able to grace the court for Chicago, the Bulls have been looking for a replacement, and ESPN adds that Giddey will have the opportunity to be the two-way guard they’ve been searching for.
Giddey averaged 12.3 points last season with 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game over a career-high 80 starts.
Also worth noting with this trade on the Thunder side: Caruso is eligible for a four-year, $80 million contract extension six months from now. He will be entering the final year of his deal, and ESPN says the Thunder made the deal hoping they can keep him long-term.
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