When the OKC Thunder traded Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso last offseason, the belief by many was that Sam Presti and company came away from the exchange as unquestioned winners.
The idea of this title-hungry Oklahoma City squad swapping out an ill-fitting, albeit highly talented fourth-year guard for an elite 3&D role player with established championship experience seemed to instantly warrant an "A" grade from the court of public opinion.
Now, nine months removed from the initial transaction, it would seem that both sides are benefiting in one way or another.
For the Thunder, Caruso has been a steady two-way presence while ranking sixth on the team in net rating (14.3) and within the top 10 in plus-minus (+5.5) out of those who have logged over 30 games played this year.
As for the Bulls, while they may be sub-.500 at 32-40, they're currently in the running for a play-in bid with Giddey serving as arguably their main catalyst, especially since the calendar page flipped to January.
Over a 34-game stretch, he's become a true triple threat with his highly efficient scoring (15.7 points on 44.6 percent shooting from distance), passing (6.8 assists), and board-gobbling (8.3 rebounds) skills.
However, while the former lottery pick's production and impact have certainly been impressive as of late, inadvertently, such an uptick in play seems to serve as a reminder of the lofty financial bullet the Thunder likely dodged.
Josh Giddey's recent surge with Bulls an inadvertent win for Thunder
Before the season even kicked off, it was being reported that Josh Giddey was looking to get paid handsomely with his next contract, with NBA insider Jake Fischer revealing that he'll be seeking a minimum of $30 million annually upon entering into negotiations this coming summer.
While such a projection may have appeared quite steep when initially surfaced, especially when considering he was just coming off quite an underwhelming third-year showing with Oklahoma City, with his recent surge, the possibility of him cashing in on such an annual figure has become far more plausible, which, in many ways, puts the Bulls in a serious bind.
Do they fully believe that a few months' worth of standout performances is deserving of an Immanuel Quickley or Jalen Suggs-esque multi-year deal? With the failure that has been Patrick Williams' five-year, $90 million contract signed last July, might they be hesitant to shell out such a lucrative sum of money, thus risking losing him for absolutely nothing in free agency?
These are the questions that will certainly be at the forefront of GM Marc Eversley's mind over these next few months.
As for the Thunder, they'll be sitting back with a clear head, enjoying the services that Alex Caruso and his $20.3 million per year price tag provide them while extending well-deserved, long-term deals to the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren in the not-too-distant future.