Ask Sam Mailbag: Josh Giddey trade reactions, NBA Draft rumors and more

Josh Redman: I love the Caruso for Giddey trade. I wish we could have also gotten one of OKC’s 30 first round picks, but a 21 year old point guard with all-star talent is exactly what this team needed. Now Giddey and White are the backcourt of the future. Caruso is a final piece for a contending team and would be wasted staying with the rebuilding Bulls. I’m happy with this move for both teams.

Sam: Win, win eh? It’s a very good addition for the Thunder as along with Billy’s all-time favorite Lu Dort they can put out some crushing perimeter defense for the playoffs. It was the Celtics’ secret sauce. We all know how good Caruso is, but good for him for a chance to get back to the Finals. But I wonder amidst all the speculation about Caruso’s value that the fear of injury may have limited his value and thus no draft picks despite all these rumors of multiple offers. Yes, it usually takes teams awhile to face reality, but it seems the Bulls got the point. Giddey’s not much of a shooter, which concerns me. But he has been improving his shooting and is very young, so he should be able to get better. His free throw percentage is good, so he has a shooting stroke. Mostly he’s a pure and plus facilitator, which the Bulls haven’t had with Lonzo, and haven’t had much since Guy Rodgers in 1966. Giddey’s got highlight potential in the open court and we all love great passing. Trae Young, for example, has plenty of flaws, but you love his passing. Frankly, that’s one of the main reasons I believe the women’s player, Caitlin Clark, has been so popular. It should be very entertaining to see Giddey and Coby White as the backcourt of the future, especially now the way Coby has improved his game. And now can play from strength at his natural position.

Martin Skelly: Has AK lost his mind? Make me see the positive here as all I can think now is AK has no idea what he is doing. Why wait all this time and then deal Caruso for Giddey? Fair enough if OKC had attached 2 first round picks, but none at all?

Sam: Maybe we all overvalued Alex as good as he’s been given the injury history and just one season left before he becomes a free agent. The Bulls can control Giddey for at least two seasons, and he does meet a vital team need as a true point guard who is an excellent passer in transition like Lonzo Ball was when the Bulls were having that modicum of success a few seasons back. Giddey was a lottery pick, and being just 22 in October he’d probably be a top five and maybe top three pick in this draft. The question is whether this is a makeover or just some makeup.

Albert Castro: Please tell me we didnt trade Caruso straight up for Giddey? No other draft picks given to us? All defense given away for a guy that was benched in the playoffs.

Sam: I wouldn’t hold that against Giddey because the Thunder decided to prioritize someone who was MVP runner-up. The Thunder transitioned to having Gilgeous-Alexander mostly handling the ball. And then you put Giddey in a weak spot and then say why are you playing badly even though we’re asking you to do what you are poorest at. It sounded like he was headed to play off the bench this season, and reading between the lines in the OKC statement on the trade it sounded like Giddey asked to be elsewhere. So he should be motivated about the new opportunity. The Thunder began to play him at shooting guard when he’s not a shooter, which is a lot of what happened to Lonzo Ball in New Orleans and he was benched and then voilà, comes to the Bulls, returns to point guard looking ahead as a vibrant passer and the Bulls were rejuvenated. They should again be so fortunate.

Mike Quick: I’ve changed my mind and am on board with the deal as long as u let DD walk and start the rebuild. Keep Pat. Let Giddey run with this team minus DD. If DD stays I will lose all respect for him. Go chase a ring. Loved Alex but guy was constantly hurt and will be looking for a new 4 yr deal at a raise. 

Sam: Which really is the big elephant question amidst all of this: What happens with DeRozan? Is this a rebuild or restructuring? My suggestion previously stated was for the Bulls to take just a brief, one season step back like the Mavericks did, change your roster, get in the lottery — the Bulls need to be in the top 10 next season to keep their pick in what’s considered a loaded draft with potential superstars at the top — and then with a nice, younger core that you have support them with the additions and actually be able to compete in 2025-26. Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid could be on the way down seriously by then. Milwaukee is aging fast with Giannis, LIllard and Middleton. The Bulls could take a major step forward if they just back off for one season. But it would seem a lot depends on whether they retain DeRozan. If they do, you assume it’s for two years to match Vučević’s contract, and I’m not sure how much difference a transition point guard like Giddey is with more half court players like DeRozan and Vučević. And then you’re probably back in he playin race and likely out of that 2025 draft pick and free agency space. LaVine’s a transition player, but we assume he’s on the way out. So is there a sign-and-trade ahead for DeRozan? If he’s back, the Bulls are much more competitive this season, though perhaps less so without Caruso. We know DeMar is still a high level professional scorer and has pretty left. Though maybe not so much dancer from what I saw in some videos recently at a concert in LA.

Scott Lucas: Bulls fans, like me, who were begging for a move finally got their wish… and man it was a good one. As much as I love Caruso, and he’s been my favorite player on this team, moving him was the right call. This team needs change and he’s the franchise’s best asset, and I was worried they’d missed their window to cash in; however, Josh Giddey is a great return and I like him better than any draft pick they would have got. He’s only 21, has positional versatility, and stuffs the stat sheet across the board. A great playmaker who will fit wonderfully with Coby, and if he can improve on his 3 point shooting he can really be great. Lock him up to that rookie eligible extension. I’ll really miss Caruso, who is the ultimate glue guy and a winner personified, but he needs a new deal after this year and given the intensity with which he plays and injury history can you count on him to stay healthy and productive into his mid-30s? I think AKME made the right call for this team, but the trade could be a win-win for both as Caruso will have a big impact as a vet on a great, young OKC team.

Sam: That’s a valid summary. The transcendent point is that the Bulls said post season that group didn’t work any more, and they have now seriously begun to address it. As wonderful as Coby White’s development has been, we could see he’s not really a point guard. Putting him where his strength is should help him with the confidence he gained last season. Dosunmu fits better as a tough combo guard who could start, but coming off the bench to not lose much in the rotation. The next question comes to be Patrick Williams and will he move to wing/small forward in a young core with Giddey and White. Or does DeRozan stay there and the Bulls try to shoe horn Williams into power forward. Perhaps they can address the front line size in the draft, and there’s still rumors out there regarding a LaVine trade including speculation about someone like John Collins. And the Bulls assistant coach he almost beat up isn’t around anymore, so that could work.

Brian Tucker: I see a lot of mixed reactions on the Caruso trade, but mostly I see that we got younger and got a high-upside talent who was in need of a change of scenery. I also like that AK made a move.

Sam: I think that may be the dam breaker for the Bulls, that after almost three years of inactivity they made a bold move that likely presages others. We’ve all been waiting for that, so the point is to make the judgment toward the end and not at the beginning.

Alex Metz: With this Giddey trade, the Bulls need shooting. Go McCain now? Knecht is not slipping. Carter for defense?

Sam: Shooting seemed to be a high priority before this trade, so yes likely even more now, and not only given Giddey isn’t known for his shooting, but that his play and ability to get into the paint can get open that shooting Billy Donovan always talked about but no one was able to find where they were. There’s been a lot of speculation about Devin Carter and that promise to the Bulls at No. 11. I’ve mentioned Knecht since the lottery drawing, and there’s no way to know where any will fall since this draft is as unclear as any in a decade and a player in the mock top five could go 15. I believe there’ll be a good shooter at No. 11 and unless the Bulls can get a top big man, I’d consider the shooting of Sheppard, Knecht, McCain, Dillingham or maybe even big man da Silva.

Ian Rosenthal: Don’t have a ton of familiarity with Giddey and I’ll miss Caruso, but this move definitely has given me renewed confidence in AKME’s ability to run the team. I’ve always been in the camp that the moves they made to get the Bulls to the 1 seed during that first season with Ball were great and the ceiling they hit had more to do with bad luck than mismanagement. I’d bet this isn’t the last move, but from what you’ve seen of Giddey what are you most excited to see him bring to the Bulls?

Sam: That transition and ability playing heads up to throw ahead given as much as the Bulls talked about it, they had become a stagnant offensive team. Everyone talks about running in preseason, but it’s much more difficult than it sounds and not as frequent in the long regular season. But Giddey gives the Bulls a chance do so. And having a 6-7 player on the perimeter who can switch is valuable. There’s also that curiosity about Giddey that NBA guys consider him a superior inbounds passer. I’ve never thought that much about that play, but we also saw plenty of late game messups against traps in these playoffs that were costly. Donovan is considered creative in ATO (after time out) plays, so that maybe could be a secret weapon.  Though no one can defend like Caruso, and the Bulls will miss that. There’s no one on the roster now at his lee to defend the best opponent. Hey, got to give something to get and all that. But which is also why the Giddey, DeRozan, Vučević group isn’t ideal for its lack of defense. I agree that this seems more like the first move, which technically it was.

Jeff Lichtenstein: Why did Giddey’s stats regress so much? A head case Ron Artest risk? 

Sam: From everything I’ve heard about him from media in Oklahoma City, he’s a very nice kid, cooperative, polite and thoughtful. I think he’ll fit in well with the Bulls. The Thunder is one of the more control oriented organizations in the NBA, and with personal questions last season they didn’t allow him to speak with reporters for a time. But Giddey seems relatively sophisticated as many of the international players are, and with his late season demotion a change of scenery might also help his game. 

Greg Young: Well, the off season started with a bang for the Bulls. I don’t have a problem with trading Caruso, although it makes me sad. Yes, they got younger and yes, there is potential with Giddey. My biggest gripe is that for a roster that has trouble shooting, Giddey is woefully inept in that particular department. I guess I applaud the movement but am skeptical about the return. Time will always tell.

Sam: I assume that’s the point, that they have the point and with perhaps so many other potentially moveable parts and a lottery pick the shooting will get addressed, and point guard generally is the most difficult to find, and means so much as we saw when they first acquired Ball. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is one shooting name that’s out there with Bulls speculation.

Tim Flynn: I’d really appreciate a thorough explanation as to why so many mock drafts and “experts” think that the Bulls should draft a guard even if they trade Zach. There is clearly a greater need for a legitimate PF and future center than a guard. If they added a couple of solid frontcourt players and had Caruso playing his best position, guard, along with Coby and Ayo and whomever, that would seem preferable to having a weak rebounding PWill – especially if Drummond leaves -and Alex and Craig playing in the frontcourt. And, please, no Clingan. No offense but dunks and too slow to defend regardless of how good a shot blocker he is.

Sam: Good you put that experts in quotes. The mock drafts are fun for discussion, but they’re mostly guessing games based on speculation and projections from people who are not so expert considering that the people making the actual selections tend often not to be very expert themselves. Though logical, if not reasonable, why so many of these mock drafts have been protecting guards for the Bulls. This not a great draft stuff basically means no potential superstar types off the top. But there will be good players and perhaps an All-Star or two. And so much uncertainty about who is actually good that teams will for a change have such a variance that maybe a No. 10 in one mock draft will go first like Anthony Bennett in 2013. A lot depends on where they land and how they develop given so many still are teenagers. But there does seem to be something of a trend based on NBA needs. For all the talk all the time about shooting, size makes a difference. I think the team that led in rebounding won each of the Finals games. Rebounding and rings and all that. The Bulls as you accurately note are deficient in size. Alex Caruso or before that Javonte Green at power forward said that. The problem for the Bulls in this draft seems to be with a draft lacking a sure star, teams often may be defaulting to size. In most of these mock drafts, I’ve seen maybe seven of the top 10 selections at 6-foot-7 and over. Reed Sheppard and Stephon Castle slip in there, but it’s mostly long, rangy athletic types, though babies. The top picks supposedly are seven-footer Alex Sarr and 6-foot-8 Zaccharie Risacher, though lately both have skipped out of the top three for players more ready like Castle. So then when it gets down to No. 11, the best “talent” in that best available category often is coming down to a guard like Devin Carter or Dalton Knecht or a wing like Ron Holland, or maybe Cody Williams, the latter who most have going before No. 11. I do expect players to “fall” in this draft because of the combination of the uncertainty of the talent and that eye of the beholder thing of teams seeing someone who can help them like Miami did last year with Jaime Jaquez at No. 18. Going back over that draft, he’s now top five. And then the Bulls may actually need a guard with the possibility of the much speculated LaVine trade and shooting to help Josh Giddey after the Alex Caruso trade.

Randall Sanders: It’s been reported that the Bulls turned down multiple offers (including a top-10 Pick in this year’s draft ) for Caruso. I love the guy. He was a great signing. If those reports were true, it’s hard for me to understand, You have Ayo, Green, Terry and possibly Ball). Could have built for the future while not taking a huge step backwards by trading him.

Sam: I’m not sure that’s exactly true, which perhaps make some sense since the Bulls still couldn’t get a pick in the Giddey trade. It nay be fear of Caruso and injury has scared teams off, which is understandable. I did hear last winter there were serious talks regarding Caruso with the Warriors. But they didn’t have a first round draft pick this season, and I heard after saying they’d offer a lot they came back with a package that was much less and involved Moses Moody and maybe Gary Payton or another reserve, but not picks. So if there really weren’t picks involved with the Warriors I can understand why they didn’t pull the trigger. The Bulls could lose Caruso as a free agent after this season without any compensation. They can at least match an offer if they don’t extend Giddey. As for guards, it seems apparent the Bulls finally understood they couldn’t count on Ball returning.

Bart Goldberg: It could not be more obvious to me that the Bulls should select Zach Edey in this year’s draft. I stake my reputation on that even though I acknowledge that I only watched one college game this year; that being the championship game. Edey was simply amazing. I actually felt sorry for Donovan Clingan (projected to be a top 5 pick) as it was the proverbial “Man against Boy”. Edey’s stat line was 37 points and 10 boards v Clingan’s 11 points and 5 boards. When ESPN says that the high-end comp for their No 1 (Risacher) is Kris Middleton that tells you all you need to know. For the Bulls to escape NBA purgatory you have to start with one dominant player, someone that the other team really has to plan for and hopefully cannot contain. Edey is 7-foot-4 and 300 pounds. That is about 80 pounds heavier than the new crop of razor thin NBA centers. Edey is so strong. With his strong hands he dominates in the paint and is an excellent rebounder, blocks shots to boot, and is a decent passer. But it really comes down to that size as no one will be able to push him around and the skinny centers will be fouling out as he catches and dunks right through them. He could be a fixture for 15 years. The Bulls really have to take a chance like this given their mediocrity and the lack of a pick in next year’s draft.

Sam: Given you did watch one more game than many, then perhaps your reputation is deserved. I don’t see the Bulls selecting Edey. They do lack size, maybe their first or second biggest need among many even with Nikola Vučević. With two years left on his contract and turning 34 when this season begins, the Bulls do need to be looking for a successor to Vučević. The Bulls preferences have been to look to the next game, but it does seem with the Giddey deal they have to begun looking through the correct end of the telescope. Edey has been moving up on all the speculative mock draft (muck draft?) boards the last month or so. He’s intriguing because of that size you note, but he just goes sooooo slowly. He does have some intriguing offensive potential because of his ability to get into the paint, and despite the general analytic bent, it’s still important to score. You saw in the Finals games even though the Celtics finally got their three-point game going in Game 5, that when each team wanted to gain an edge to start the game they attacked the basket in the paint. It’s just Edey is soooo slow, as I mentioned. Not as slow as he’s been because he seems to have worked at it. But there are just so many teams that will target him in pick and roll. It’s different in college when you can sit in a zone all game. You cannot in the NBA. Once again the Bulls drew a short straw by not being able to move up in the draft since you see in these mock drafts the preference is to go for the talented big men early, and then the next group of bigs aren’t considered as able. I’ve probably watched Edey more than anyone in college because like you I’ve been intrigued by his size and to see whether he could dominate. He was effective, but not dominant even in college. For all the great athletes and changes in the game, we’re always interested to see the next big thing, which for now still is waiting-on-Wemby. Who is much more fluid and versatile. I’ll be watching Edey, though I doubt in red.

Mike Sutera: LeBron James to Suns is picking up steam, according to reports. Could it be? Or is this just LBJs camp forcing Lakers hand to take Bronny at 17?

Sam: This is especially why we love the NBA more than other leagues, and why the NBA made the draft a two-day project. So they knew this James Jr. thing could carry a whole second day? Another NBA conspiracy? Day Two may even be more fun waiting to see who wants to pull a fast one on LeBron and the Lakers. For a second round pick, why not? But to the Suns? KG and LeBron finally? You’d say all this was nuts, except this new Suns owner you know wants to cannonball NBA free agency. Let me say I don’t believe there’s any way LeBron leaves LA. But let’s take a moment for the never say never NBA. We know LeBron’s not playing for any veteran’s minimum. And you’d say there’s no way there’s an agreement on a sign and trade involving Durant going to the Lakers. We know no one wants Bradley Beal. You’d say there’s no way the Suns give up maybe 10 years of Devin Booker for LeBron for a year or two. But the Suns franchise has never won a title, and as good as Booker is he’s not the lead to win you a championship. So for two years LeBron and KD? Why not roll the dice for finally one title? Which means if only ESPN would have to find Phoenix on a map. But how big would that be, LeBron and KD, and of course young Bronny with the Suns pick at No. 22. Of course, unless the Lakers do take him at No. 17. Maybe you do have something there. LeBron to Phoenix unless they draft his son? Hey, it’s not like the Lakers’ future is at No. 17. And players do like Phoenix, and it is less than an hour by air to LA. And, hey, Wilt lived in New York when he played for the 76ers. And drove to the games. Good we got these games over with so the real NBA fun can begin.

Mitch Queen: I saw this story. Is it possible? No one knows who Atlanta is taking with the No. 1 pick. The Hawks are expected to trade one of Trae Young or Dejounte Murray, but not both. They’ll keep one to build around. Clint Capela is a popular trade target with the Grizzlies, Wizards, Pelicans and Bulls having expressed interest. And the Sacramento Kings are going back to the well with the same trade package they offered Toronto twice for OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. The offer includes Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter and draft pick compensation. They’re known to have had calls with Chicago involving Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso. Unless they keep Monk?

Sam: Like Garnett said, anything is possible in the NBA. We’ve heard this LaVine speculation often with the Kings, in part because they were the team to make him the offer as a restricted free agent the Bulls matched awhile back. They regressed this season, lacked closing scoring, and especially are poor defensively. It has to drive Mike Brown crazy. I did think the Bulls were hanging onto Caruso to maybe facilitate a LaVine deal. Guess not. Barnes, Huerter, eh, not much there, but as it’s noted the Zach market isn’t brisk. And now with Monk seemingly resigning you’d think they’re out of any Zach stuff. The Jazz and 76ers have been the latest speculated. Zach and Lauri together? Didn’t we see that for 35 or so wins? Seeing LaVine play presumably would enhance his market, but then coming off all the rumors and speculation would the team want that continuing into the next season? And then we know teams rarely do anything until the February trade deadline. And if you are dangling LaVine all season that’s not going to be smooth sailing. As for Capela, not sure I get that one unless they are trading Vučević, which seems unlikely. Though the Hawks may be the toughest No. 1 in years to figure since more than any time in recent memory, not surprisingly given this draft, there are credible rumors about trading out of No. 1. The problem is no one seems to know who is worth No. 1 to give up much.

Harold Plach: Pick Kel’el Ware, C, Indiana. Move him to PF, Williams to SF, DeRozan or LaVine at SG, and White at PG. Trade either LaVine or DeRozan for draft choices. Home free.

Sam: Where’s Vooch? But, yes, the Bulls do have to begin looking for a successor. Ware generally is in the 15 to 20 range in most of the mock drafts, though this year there’s that potential wide variance in the picks because of the lack of certainty on talent. But it seems this year teams have more freedom to “reach” because no one is sure who’s that good. He’s been mentioned at least close to the Bulls No. 11 neighborhood as a Dereck Lively type, and Dallas has had a lot of success with Lively. Colorado’s Tristan da Silva also gets mentioned in that area and among bigs. With Vučević around he wouldn’t be needed to play a lot yet, and the Bulls need size and rebounding strength, to reiterate. Though no one ever knows what the Bulls are up to, it still seems likely they go with one of the more highly regarded wings or guards for the athleticism and shooting. Draft night should be a surprise.

Claudia Wrazel: If the Kings offered Sasha Vezenkov and #13 for Ayo would the Bulls say “Yes”?  It appears the Bulls could use a good shooting forward. Sasha had ankle problems last year, but he looked like a high scoring wing while in Europe. 

Sam: Can’t say I know much about him other than reports I saw of him rumored to return to Europe and then saying they were not true. The Bulls could use size and a wing player, though Patrick Williams says that’s him and we still don’t know if he’ll get an offer and if the Bulls would match or seek a trade. The Bulls obviously like Ayo, and he’s been their best draft pick recently, though getting the later lottery pick and a player would be workable if they believed in the player. I have no idea if he could play in the NBA, and as you note he hasn’t done much yet. I’d think the Bulls would pursue other areas first. As they already have.

Mark Suit: Meaning? Klay Thompson has unfollowed the Warriors and his Twitter is down or deleted.

Sam: Wised up about social media? The main speculations lately have him signing with either the 76ers or Magic. I’d guess in the end he returns to the Warriors, though their obvious big mistake that formerly winning teams make is that loyalty thing about signing your aging stars. The Warriors buried themselves with Draymond Green. Remember how the Celtics moved Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, and it begat Tatum and Brown? It’s a feel good for the community when you reward the stars who won for you; but the fans feel better when you can win again, and you do that by being gracious and thankful, but not so much sympathetically blindly loyal.

Julio Cintron: Aren’t you tired of all the hotshot letters proposing this or that trade or speculating on the skills of so and so? Come on—those letter writers are pseudo-owners playing with their little dolls that they don’t even own. Sam, you are the philosopher of basketball, and those letters are a waste of your time. You deserve serious ontological questions, so here’s one: When basketball players talk about getting in the “flow of the game” or “finding their rhythm” or “letting the game come to me,” I am thinking they are talking metaphysics. That is, what is really happening is that they and their teammates are simply hitting some baskets. There is no flow or rhythm that you get into and, consequently, you start hitting baskets. Flow and rhythm are metaphysical hooie. You either hit the basket or you don’t. It’s physical skills, coordination, practice — stuff like that.  So give us the low down Socrates Sam.

Sam: I do believe in some ancient concepts (circa 1960) that debate is worthwhile and sticks and stones can harm me but not so much words. So perhaps I need demur considering Socrates’ fate, and why I don’t like to drink, especially plant based products. Because as we know the unexamined life is not worth living. I do appreciate your message since it reminds me of the great Woody Allen joke about failing philosophy class because he was caught cheating on the metaphysics test for looking into the soul of the kid next to him. With our experiences with Phil Jackson and the 90s Bulls, we know that it is vital to “be in the moment,” and it is something emphasized often in sports. I hear it all the time watching golf. Where it then helps when you get a good bounce off a tree. Like Yogi said, baseball is 90 percent mental and the other half physical. Everyone in sports these days pays a lot of money to people to tell you to relax. I wish I’d thought of that. But, yes, sports does come down to making the big shot at the big time, though I still subscribe to the belief that the one who does is just the winner at that time, though not necessarily more deserving or more prepared. OK, discuss.

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