OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti talks about depth of Western Conference
OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti talks about depth of Western Conference
The OKC Thunder set the tone early for moves this NBA offseason.
OKC finalized a trade on Friday that sent Josh Giddey to Chicago in exchange for Alex Caruso. No picks were involved in the one-for-one player swap.
Giddey is a 21-year-old guard who averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists this past season. Meanwhile, Caruso is a 30-year-old guard who earned an All-Defensive second team selection with averages of 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds.
Here’s how various outlets graded the trade:
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Grading OKC’s trade of Josh Giddey to Chicago for Alex Caruso
Justin Martinez, The Oklahoman: Thunder A; Bulls C
- OKC: “Giddey was a clear weak spot in OKC’s playoff rotation due to his poor 3-point shooting and defense. The Thunder then traded him for Caruso, a two-time All-Defensive guard who shot 40.8% from deep this past season. And the cherry on top? OKC didn’t even have to give up one of its many future draft picks. Take a bow, Sam Presti.”
- Chicago: “Giddey could become the primary facilitator that Chicago needs, although I do wonder how effective he’ll be on a team that has little floor spacing. And while the Bulls deserve credit for finally thinking about their future with this trade, a return package of just Giddey for one of the league’s best role players is underwhelming.”
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Kevin Pelton, ESPN: Thunder A; Bulls C-
- OKC: “Already boasting three starters who received All-Defensive votes last season (stopper Luguentz Dort, league steals leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and rim protector Chet Holmgren), Oklahoma City now adds All-Defensive second-team pick Caruso, who finished second behind Herb Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans among perimeter players in the voting. … If Caruso replaces Giddey in the Thunder’s starting five, it’s hard to find a weakness for opponents to hunt.”
- Chicago: “As compared to moving forward with Caruso, whose trade value might have diminished ahead of the trade deadline in the final season of his deal, I much prefer Chicago trading for Giddey. Whether the Bulls chose the best possible path in a Caruso trade will depend on how well they can develop Giddey.”
More: Mussatto: With Josh Giddey traded to Bulls, Alex Caruso returns to Thunder at perfect time
Sam Quinn, CBS Sports: Thunder A+; Bulls C-
- OKC: “They have effectively traded a player they could no longer use for a player that practically the entire league was desperate to acquire. … They haven’t just added one of the NBA’s best role players. They’ve ensured that none of their rivals could get him instead. This is Executive of the Year-level stuff from Sam Presti.”
- Chicago: “This is a generous C- for Chicago. It’s a nod to Giddey’s obvious talent. He’s one of the 10 best passers in basketball already. He can score inside of the arc and rebounds well for his position. … As tantalizing as Giddey’s skill set might be, he has a long way to go before he can lead a team to real winning.”
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Dan Favale, Bleacher Report: Thunder A++++++; Bulls D-
- OKC: “Alarmists will worry about Caruso leaving in (2025) free agency, but Oklahoma City isn’t making this deal without intel on his salary demands or interest in sticking around long-term. And even if the Thunder are going in blind, Caruso is worth the risk, and they’re good enough and deep enough and flexible enough to withstand it. Basically, this trade amounts to Oklahoma City acting like the championship contender it is.”
- Chicago: “This isn’t akin to messing up, or a misguided stab in the dark, or even a morbidly opaque dice roll. This is franchise malpractice—yet another heaping, steaming pile of aimless B.S. the Bulls are shoveling down the throat of a fanbase that deserves better.”
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Zach Harper, The Athletic: Thunder A; Bulls B
- OKC: “Trying to score against OKC was already difficult, as the Thunder were fourth in defensive rating this past season, but they struggled to contain some of the Dallas Mavericks’ options in the playoffs. Giddey became pretty unplayable in that series, but Caruso won’t be a victim of that type of matchup. He can help the Thunder thrive.”
- Chicago: “Maybe you’d like to see the Bulls get a bit more for a veteran like Caruso, but Giddey can play. He’s a terrible outside shooter, but he can do most everything else really well. He’s an excellent playmaker, which matters on a (Chicago) team that was one of the lowest assist teams this past season.”