The NBA offseason is officially in high gear.
First, the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly agreed to a deal with JJ Redick as the next head coach of the storied franchise. Then, after rumors swirled all day that the Chicago Bulls were actively shopping Alex Caruso, word broke that the team is trading the guard to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey.
The Chicago Bulls are trading Alex Caruso to the Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey, per @wojespnpic.twitter.com/N98uGULpyv
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) June 20, 2024
Caruso averaged 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists this year for the Bulls, who have made the playoffs just once over the past nine years and haven’t won a playoff series in 11 years. The 30-year-old is known for his defensive prowess, as he’s a two-time NBA All-Defensive team selection. He ranked fourth in steals per game (1.7) this season and was second in defensive half-court matchups against 2024 All-Stars, according to ESPN.
Meanwhile, Giddey – who was selected No. 6 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft – is averaging 13.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists over three seasons. The 2023-24 campaign was a disappointing year for him, though, with his numbers down across the board at 12.3 points, 6.4 boards and 4.8 dimes per game.
Despite being a significant swap for each team, the deal didn’t make much of an impact in the futures market. The Bulls remain +55000 to the title while the Thunder moved incrementally from +1000 to +900. Oklahoma City has the fifth-best odds to win it all, breaking a tie with the Dallas Mavericks, who are +1000 after falling short in the NBA Finals.
