Bulls trade Alex Caruso to Thunder for Josh Giddey in NBA stunner

Just three days after the 2023-24 season ended, the NBA offseason has its first shocking trade.

The Bulls shipped guard Alex Caruso to the Thunder for guard Josh Giddey, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday.

Caruso, a two-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection, started 57 of 71 games for Chicago this past year, averaging 10.1 points, 35. assists and 1.7 steals per game.

Wojnarowski added that the 30-year-old Caruso was “one of the league’s most coveted role players.”

The Bulls may have wanted to maximize Caruso’s value before hitting the open market after this coming season, but Wojnarowski added that the vet is eligible to receive a four-year deal worth around $80 million in December.

Oklahoma City, per the NBA insider, wants Caruso as part of the team’s future.

The defensive whiz will join a Thunder team loaded with young talent, including MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. 

This year, OKC earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference before falling in the second round of the playoffs to the Mavericks.

On the other end of the deal, the Bulls land Giddey, a first-round pick in 2022 who’s still only 21 years old.

Giddey had a strong second season in the league, averaging 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game while making 76 starts in 2023-23.

However, Giddey’s performance wasn’t mirrored in 2023-24, as he averaged 12.3 points per contest.

Critically, Giddey struggled during the Thunder’s playoff run, posting just 8.7 points and 2.1 assists per game while being benched for the team’s final two games against Dallas.

Off the court, Giddey was mired in a scandal surrounding an investigation into an alleged relationship with an underage girl.

Newport Beach, California police closed its investigation — without bringing charges — in January, and he was cleared on May 23 by the NBA after its probe concluded.

The Bulls face a monumental offseason ahead, with star guard DeMar DeRozan set to be a free agent and a decision needing to be made about All-Star Zach LaVine, who missed 55 games last year with a foot injury.

Giddey will pair with breakout guard Coby White, center Nikola Vucevic and potentially rehabbing guard Lonzo Ball as Chicago attempts to make the playoffs for the first time in three years.

The two franchises were already intertwined because of coach Billy Donovan guiding both, but their connections will now run even deeper.