Last summer, the OKC Thunder pulled off what is considered by some to be one of the most lopsided trades since the Paul George for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander blockbuster of 2019, as they swapped out an out-of-place role player in Josh Giddey for an on-paper schematic upgrade in Alex Caruso.
Ultimately, the veteran's on-paper fit proved to seamlessly translate to on-court production, as he helped spearhead Oklahoma City's league-best defensive punch with his top-ranked 102.5 defensive rating and played a significant role in the club taking home their first ever Larry O'Brien Trophy.
As for Chicago, they missed the postseason altogether for the seventh time in eight years, and still ended up being strong-armed into coughing up a lucrative new $100 million extension for Giddey, roughly $20 million more than the one Caruso inked with the Thunder.
In the end, it has become quite clear that the consensus belief is that the Bulls lost this particular trade from a head-to-head standpoint.
However, in the same breath, there's an argument to be made that, even with the accepted notion that they received the short end of the stick, Chicago still came away with some positive side effects as a result of the exchange with the Thunder, particularly when it comes to their reputation among opposing team executives.
Thunder trade helped Bulls earn new-found respect from league execs
During a recent edition of Bleacher Report's NBA Insider Notebook with Jake Fischer, the eponymous host discussed the recent re-signing of Giddey with the Bulls, and specifically went into depth about how, after months of strenuous negotiations, the two sides ultimately met in the middle on a $25 million AAV salary over a four-year stretch.
While he did acknowledge that such a compromise "did not take anyone by surprise," it still doesn't diminish the fact that executives around the league view this as a "team-friendly deal," and, even more noteworthy, "a strong value play for Josh Giddey."
"At 22 years old, you guarantee yourself $100 million. If you really are worth $30 million-plus in average annual value, you're going to be back on the free agency market at 26 years old before you even enter your prime... I think cap strategists around the league are looking at this as a pretty strong value deal for the Bulls as well," Fischer said.
Even during his up-and-down three-year stint with the Thunder, Giddey's high-upside potential was more than apparent.
Measuring in at 6-foot-8 while sporting the game of a traditional floor general, the Aussie has the build and tools necessary to be a troublesome Swiss Army Knife backcourt talent in the association.
Though he was never able to fully display the heights of his game while in OKC, as he was trapped behind the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and, come his final year, Chet Holmgren in the pecking order, while serving as lead guard in his first season in the Windy City, Giddey wound up putting forth a career-best campaign.
In 70 games played, Giddey averaged 14.6 points per game while dropping career-highs in assists (7.2), rebounds (8.1), steals (1.2), and three-point field goal percentage (37.8).
His seven triple-doubles trail only the 15 Michael Jordan recorded back in 1988-89 as the most in a single season in Bulls history.
Giddey's production only became more mesmerizing following the mid-season departure of Zach LaVine, as he found himself posting sensational, all-around averages of 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 9.3 assists on 50.0 percent shooting from the floor and 45.7 percent shooting from distance as the team's number one option following the All-Star break.
Now, heading into year two with Chicago, and with no question that he's the head honcho one guard, the hope among Bulls fans and personnel is that he can keep up this electrifying level of play and have it turn into a potential All-Star and playoff-earning season in the process.
As things currently stand, this potential alone warrants a tip of the cap in the direction of Chicago's front office.
Without the help of the Thunder, this boost in respect among their peers could not have been possible.