The trade that sent Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey this past summer was a surprise for both Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder Fans.
One-for-one trades rarely happen in the NBA, and when they do, shock is expected. This trade was no exception.
Giddey Up
While Caruso and Giddey have very different play styles, both teams see a benefit from the trade.
Giddey is a very ball-dominant guard. He works as a facilitator while on the floor, generating offense for both him and his teammates.
Giddey’s numbers have seen a significant increase during his time on the Bulls. This was to be expected as his role is larger in Chicago.
In OKC, he didn’t have the ball in his hands as much. Playing alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams capped Giddey’s full potential.
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Since he departed from Oklahoma City, Giddey has shined in his new role with the Bulls. He has career highs in three-point percentage, steals, and assists through his first 60 games with Chicago.
The Benefits Caruso Brings to OKC
While the offensive numbers may not be comparable between the two, Caruso’s defensive abilities are much needed as the Thunder hope to make a deep playoff run this season.
The addition of Caruso to the Thunder has lifted the team’s defensive abilities to another level this season. The Thunder sit at #1 in defensive rating (106.2), #1 in steals (10.6), #1 in deflections per game (21.7), and #1 in charges drawn (59).
Caruso is currently sitting in eighth place in deflections per game with 3.7 in just about 20 minutes per game. The addition of the 2023-24 all defensive second team guard to the Thunder roster has significantly elevated the team’s overall defense, making them a scary team to match up against.
How Giddey’s Absence Impacts the Thunder
A 6-foot-8 point guard is hard to come by. Having a taller guard means increased opportunities for rebounds across the floor.
Rebounding has been something OKC has struggled with all year. Giddey’s season average of 7.7 boards per game would be third on the team had he stayed in OKC.
The Thunder rank #19th in the league in rebounds per game, putting them in the lower half of the league. Rebounds are hard to come by for Oklahoma City and rebounding just so happens to be one of Giddey’s strengths.
During his time in OKC, Giddey gained a nickname for himself amongst fans as the “SLOB Wizard”. SLOB meaning side-lines-out-of-bounds. Many of his assists come from quick passes out of timeouts that lead to quick and efficient buckets.
This quick passing out of timeouts has been something the Thunder have been missing this year. They haven’t quite been able to replicate it without Giddey.
Surprisingly, Giddey’s 3pt numbers have soared to new heights this season.
Streaky shooting was something he was constantly critiqued for during his time with the Thunder. His current percentage of 37.6% this season would have him just above Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams had he stayed with the team.
While both teams have seen positive benefits from the trade, it is quite obvious that Giddey would fill some of the holes in OKC’s offense.
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