The first major move of the NBA off-season was announced this morning, with the Chicago Bulls trading All-Defensive team member Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder, in return for young point guard Josh Giddey.
As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski Friday, the player swap between the Bulls and the Thunder addresses needs for both teams; for Chicago, they indicate the start of a rebuild by bringing in a young, promising player, while OKC continue to build towards a maiden championship, bringing in one of the league’s top defenders to join an already stacked squad.
By joining the Bulls, Giddey becomes the latest in a long line of Aussies to suit up for Chicago, and if he can find some of the form he enjoyed to start his career, he could quickly become a fan favourite in the Windy City.
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How many Australians have played for the Chicago Bulls?
The Chicago Bulls have long enjoyed a connection with Australian fans and players, one which dates back to the very beginning of Aussies in the NBA.
This began with Luc Longley, the starting center of the Chicago Bulls’ second three-peat, the first Australian to play in the NBA, and a folk hero for Australian basketball.
After that came Chris Anstey, the NBL legend playing for Chicago during the 1999-2000 season.
Next was Luke Schenser, who. played 31 games for the team between 2005 and 2007, followed by Cameron Bairstow, drafted 49th by the Bulls in 2014 and enjoyed two seasons in Chicago before being traded.
Now Giddey has the chance to come in and be the most important Australian Bull since Longley, with the trade a clear sign that the team views him as a key piece of their impending rebuild.
Josh Giddey 2023-24 season stats
While the OKC Thunder enjoyed an incredibly successful 2023-24 season, finishing in first place in the Western Conference, Giddey’s individual numbers took a hit, as coach Mark Daigneault struggled to find meaningful minutes for him alongside ball dominant MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
His move to Chicago should see him once more become a primary ball-handler, and fans can expect a leap in his production as a result.
| POINTS | 12.3 |
| REBOUNDS | 6.4 |
| ASSISTS | 4.8 |
| STEALS | 0.6 |
| BLOCKS | 0.6 |
| FG% | 47.5% |
| 3PT% | 33.7% |
| FT% | 80.6% |