By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Oklahoma City Thunder get Alex Caruso from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Josh Giddey in the first notable trade of the 2024 NBA offseason, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal became official on Friday.
Giddey, a playmaking guard/forward moves to the Bulls who were looking for a player of his characteristics in light also of Lonzo Ball being sidelined. The Australian player averaged career-lows 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in last season and his third year in the NBA with the Thunder, and is expected to get a more significant role with the Bulls.
After three seasons with the Bulls during which he emerged as one of the top defensive guards in the NBA, Caruso is joining the Thunder. He was a member of the All-NBA Defensive First Team in 2023 and made the Second Team in 2024, while posting career-highs 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds along with 3.5 assists.
Per the Thunder: “The Oklahoma City Thunder has acquired guard Alex Caruso from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for guard Josh Giddey, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.
Caruso (6-5, 186) appeared in 71 games for the Bulls last season, averaging career-highs in points (10.1), rebounds (3.8), steals (1.69) and blocks (1.00) while adding 3.5 assists per game. He shot a career-best 46.8% from the field and 40.8% from three in 28.7 minutes per contest.
The winner of the 2023-24 NBA Hustle Award led the league in deflections per game (3.7) while his steals per game ranked fourth and his loose balls recovered per game (1.0) ranked fifth. Caruso was the only player in the league to tally 130-plus three-point field goals made, 100-plus steals and 70-plus blocks last season, becoming the first player to do so since the 2020-21 season.
A two-time All-Defensive Team member (2022-23 First Team and 2023-24 Second Team), Caruso has appeared in 363 career games with the Bulls and Lakers, with career averages of 6.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.29 steals per contest. The College Station native began his professional career with the Oklahoma City Blue in the NBA G League after his college tenure at Texas A&M.
Giddey appeared in 80 games during the 2023-24 campaign for the Thunder, averaging 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 25.1 minutes per contest. In 210 career games for the Thunder, the Melbourne, Australia native averaged 13.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists.”
Per the Bulls: “The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has acquired guard Josh Giddey from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for guard Alex Caruso.
Giddey, 6-8, 210, joins Chicago after spending three years in Oklahoma City with career NBA averages of 13.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 28.9 minutes over 210 games (all starts). Giddey was selected sixth overall by the Thunder in the 2021 NBA Draft and earned NBA Rising Stars selections at All-Star weekend in each of his first two seasons, as well as 2021-22 All-Rookie Second Team honors during his rookie campaign. He was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month four times.
Giddey then tallied career-high averages of 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists over 76 games in his sophomore season, becoming one of eight NBA players to average at least 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists within the opening two seasons of their career (Oscar Robertson, Norm Van Lier, Magic Johnson, Grant Hill, LeBron James, Ben Simmons, Luka Doncic).
During the 2023-24 season, Giddey suited up in a career-high 80 games while averaging 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 25.1 minutes. Giddey shot .475 from the floor and career bests of .337 from three-point range and .806 from the free-throw line. He had 10 double-doubles and three triple-doubles on the year, marking the fourth-most triple-doubles by any NBA guard last season. Giddey’s 11 career triple-doubles are the fifth-most among all NBA guards since the 2021-22 season and he became the youngest player in NBA history with a triple- double at 19 years and 84 days old on Jan. 2, 2022.
The former No. 6 overall pick saw postseason action for the first time in his career during the 2024 NBA Playoffs, averaging 8.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 18.1 minutes over 10 games. Giddey totaled 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and a steal while knocking down four triples in an opening round win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Apr. 24. He scored in double-digits in four playoff games and shot .353 from distance.
A native of Melbourne, Australia, Giddey competed for the Australian National Team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and earned the Wanda Rising Star Award after leading his team in points (19.0 ppg) and assists (7.3 apg) in the World Cup. Prior to the NBA, Giddey played for the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL during the 2020-21 season. Giddey posted clips of 10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 32.1 minutes over 28 games en route to being named the NBL Rookie of the Year.
Caruso, 6-5, 186, averaged 7.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals over 179 games (111 starts) with Chicago. Caruso became the ninth player in Bulls history with multiple NBA All-Defensive nods and was also the winner of the 2023-24 NBA Hustle Award.”