The Oklahoma City Thunder traded Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso in a shocking offseason deal. The 22-year-old wanted to be moved after learning he would come off the bench for Oklahoma City. Giddey struggled in the playoffs and felt it was time to find a new home. The Thunder got an elite role player and were happy to grant Giddey’s request.
The 6’8 guard is a unique talent. He was the sixth overall pick in the 2021 draft. Giddey is an elite rebounder and oversized playmaker. His lack of shooting and questionable defense made it hard to keep him on the floor in the postseason, but he has tons of untapped potential. Giddey wanted to remain a starter and continue playing significant minutes.
Things have not gone as planned since arriving in Chicago. He has been their starter, but is not seeing significant minutes and failed to get paid. It leaves him with an uncertain future and plenty of regrets about how he handled things with the Thunder.
Offseason trade has not gone as planned for Josh Giddey
Chicago knew he wanted to start and had turned down significant offers for Caruso. This move appeared to make Giddey a key piece of the Bulls’ core, but the two sides failed to reach an extension this offseason. The 22-year-old will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2025. Chicago can match any offer, but they were clearly unwilling to pay him like a key piece of their future.
Giddey started each of their first 18 games but is sixth on the Bulls in minutes per game at 27.3. Chicago has a crowded backcourt with Zach LaVine, Coby White, and Ayo Dosunmu playing more than Giddey in the early going. He is a starter but is in a similar role as Oklahoma City. Giddey is not always part of the closing lineup and is not in the franchise’s top-five in minutes.
The Thunder are first in the Western Conference and survived a stretch without their top two centers. Chet Holmgren will not return until 2025, but Isaiah Hartenstein is back and making a massive impact. OKC is projected to have the best record in the West and is the favorite to reach the NBA Finals.
Josh Giddey could be helping them but is starting on a 7-11 team fighting for a place in the Play-In Tournament. The Bulls are not serious contenders but will likely push for the postseason. It may mean fewer minutes for Giddey as they prefer LaVine and White on offense. Giddey has the size to stay on the floor but does not fit in an off-ball role. Ayo Dosunmu is the superior defender and often finds his way into closing groups.
Do the Chicago Bulls keep Josh Giddey? There are questions. The 22-year-old has tons of potential, but he needs to play better on both ends of the floor. Making shots, being impactful without the ball, and improving his defense are crucial for his development.
He could have played a similar role on the best team in the West, but instead demanded a trade to a team that may not even make the play-in out East. The Oklahoma City Thunder keep rolling as things have not gone as planned for Giddey in the Windy City. The grass wasn’t greener for the 22-year-old as he faces the same issues on a worse team.