A year ago, the Chicago Bulls pulled off a blockbuster, trading Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey from the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was seen then as a win for both teams, but it has since not aged as well for the Bulls. They did get a young player, but he’s an RFA who hasn’t even re-signed yet. Meanwhile, OKC won the championship.
Chicago Bulls get mediocre grade in retrospect
Looking back, the Chicago Bulls might not do the Josh Giddey trade again. They do clearly like him and want him back, but giving up Alex Caruso for him didn’t age as well as it could’ve. Bleacher Report analyst Grant Hughes revisited it and other deals from last year, and he gave the Bulls a C-.
“Giddey remains unsigned as a restricted free agent in Chicago. The Bulls have major leverage, but it still seems likely the 22-year-old will wind up earning at least as much on an annual basis as Caruso,” Hughes began.
He did admit that Giddey went on “quite the run down the stretch” with the Bulls, averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 9.3 assists after the All-Star break. He even shot a career-best 37.8% from three for the season. He was a net neutral when on the floor, which is good considering the Bulls overall were -1.4.
“Giddey hasn’t yet hit his prime, but Caruso was the right player for the right team at the right time, and it may not even be possible for Giddey to prove he can drive winning on a Bulls squad that hasn’t exactly surrounded its centerpieces with optimal talent over the years,” Hughes said.
“With a big financial commitment looming, Chicago might have been better off trading Caruso for picks and young players earlier in their rookie-scale deals,” Hughes said. That might’ve set Chicago up much better for the future than adding Giddey, who is now going to cost a good amount no matter how the negotiations go.
The Thunder earned a B grade, but Hughes said the trade was easily worth it since Caruso helped lift them from the Western Conference Finals, where the team with Giddey capped out, to the title in just one season.
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