Bulls trade Alex Caruso to OKC for young big man |
When the 2023-24 NBA season came to an end, one word was mentioned when talking about the Chicago Bulls' season. That word was disappointing, as the Bulls endured another underachieving and disappointing season that saw them make the Play-in tournament but not the regular NBA playoffs.
With the same results happening in back-to-back seasons, Arturas Karnisovas finally admitted that continuity can't continue with this roster and that major changes need to be made. You saw those changes happen with Billy Donovan completely gutting his coaching staff and bringing guys like Wes Unseld Jr in the process. Changing coaches was only the start of the expected changes to come, as the Bulls roster is also expected to go through some massive changes. Well, here we are on June 20, and the first of what could be several massive moves has gone down as the Bulls have traded G Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for G Josh Giddey. The two-time all-star in Caruso has never been known as a scorer in this league but instead as a defensive stopper. He is often in the running for the defensive player of the year and often ranks near the top of the league in steals. Caruso averages just shy of 7 PPG, and his career numbers put him at 6.8 PPG. While scoring may not be his strong point, the other aspects of his game are, as he averages 3.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.3 SPG. This past season, Caruso put together one of his best offensive seasons in a variety of ways, which made him such a hot commodity at the deadline last season. He eclipsed the double-digit scoring mark for the first time for the year, as he finished the year averaging a career-high 10.1 PPG. His previous high was 9.2 PPG, set during his second season in the league. Caruso also averaged close to four rebounds and four assists per game as he did a little of everything on the floor. A big reason for the increase in scoring was the massive improvement in shooting, as he shot nearly 47% from the field and just under 41% from distance. The three-point shot stands out the most, as this was just the third time in his career he eclipsed 40% from deep. In the process of getting rid of Caruso, the Bulls have added a potential piece to build around for years, as the 21-year-old Giddey is now a Bull. The former No. 6 pick in the NBA draft, Giddey has been a part of the massive turnaround in Oklahoma City, where the team went 57-25 last year to earn the top seed in the West. From the moment Giddey arrived in the league, you could see his potential as a player. He has averaged at least 12 PPG in each of his first three seasons, including a 12.3 PPG average last season, which ironically was the lowest average of his career thus far. There were some personal reasons for the struggles, but when he was on the court, he gave the Thunder very valuable minutes and became an instant asset for their team. Prior to last season, Giddey had one of the most improved seasons during his second year in the league, when he averaged a career-best 16.6 PPG across 76 games. He did that while averaging 8 RPG and 7 APG, as he does a little bit of everything on the floor. From a shooting standpoint, Giddey does need to improve his perimeter shooting, but at nearly 52% from the field overall for his career, the Bulls can take that type of production. While Giddey may lack the overall defensive ability that Caruso brings, he isn't a slouch on defense and can be a very versatile piece for this team. Giddey has played SG, SF, and PF, so depending on the lineup that Billy Donovan wants to use, he could fit in nicely wherever he is needed the most. This is just the first of what could be plenty of moves this offseason, as the Bulls are expected to look like a much different team next season.
