Sam Presti planned to keep Josh Giddey with the Oklahoma City Thunder, having him come off the bench in the 2024-25 season, but Giddey didn't want that. Giddey wanted to maximize his talents elsewhere, leading to the Thunder-Bulls trade. It was a simple Giddey-Caruso swap, one that greatly benefited OKC en route to the 2025 NBA title.
The Thunder won the trade before they won the championship, but that was the cherry on top. Caruso is the perfect role player for Oklahoma City. His value is most felt on the defensive end (unlike Giddey), as he's the best perimeter defender in the league. He averaged 1.6 steals per game in 54 games, 10th best in the league for players who played at least 50 games.
The trade was a winning move for the Thunder, and it wouldn't have happened if Giddey had been content with coming off the bench.
Trading Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso was a win for the Thunder
Giddey got his wish of being the primary ball-handler and a focal point on offense, averaging 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, shooting 46.5% from the field and 37.8% from three for the Bulls. He recorded five triple-doubles in the final 19 games he played in for Chicago.
The 22-year-old became a restricted free agent this summer, but there is a gap between what he wants ($30 million a year) and what the Bulls have offered ($20 million a year). If Giddey and Chicago don't agree to a deal in the next few weeks, he could pick up his $11.1 million qualifying offer, allowing him to hit unrestricted free agency next season.
Bulls fans hope that the team won't let things get that far with Giddey, but the organization doesn't have a history of making wise decisions.
The restricted free agency saga gives Thunder fans another reason to be thankful for the trade, as it's not something OKC needs to worry about. Caruso is signed through the 2028-29 season after the Thunder extended him last December. OKC is built to contend for years.
Caruso was one of the puzzle pieces that the Thunder didn't know they were missing, helping them have the best defense in the NBA. Expect that trend to continue as OKC fights to become the NBA's first repeat champion since 2018.