Josh Giddey 'Held An Interest' In Joining OKC Thunder's Western Conference Rival

Before being traded to the Chicago Bulls, the former Thunder guard contemplated the idea of joining the Spurs.

May 13, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder in game four of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder dealt Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls in a move that kicked off a series of win-now moves to round out an elite offseason. In return, the Thunder netted Alex Caruso, one of the best three-and-D role players in the NBA.

For Giddey, the move simply made sense. He needed a change of scenery to fully maximize his All-Star potential, which wasn't going to be realized in Oklahoma City. Having an MVP candidate and bonafide superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, no ball-dominant guard is going to pan out in a Thunder jersey, especially when taking into account the need to get Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren touches.

Giddey was even benched in the playoffs in an attempt to help the offense flow better. Simply put, it was time for both sides to move on. The Australian guard has plenty of upside, and heading to a rebuilding situation in Chicago makes plenty of sense for his career trajectory.

However, the 6-foot-8 point guard "held an interest" in a Western Conference rival of the Thunder's, that being the San Antonio Spurs. Of course, the trade that sent Giddey to the Bulls took place before free agency opened. The Spurs have since acquired Chris Paul as a playmaker to play alongside Victor Wembayama, and the team will continue to look at other routes to get high-level passers alongside the generational talent.

"And as long as that role remains undetermined, playmakers from Trae Young — who had the Spurs on his wishlist of next teams, sources said, if Young had moved this summer — to Josh Giddey, who also held an interest in joining San Antonio, sources said, before Oklahoma City moved Giddey to Chicago in exchange for Alex Caruso, will point to the Spurs as a desired home alongside Wemby," Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer wrote.

While the tidbit from Fischer relied on the open ball-handler, playmaking role alongside Wembanyama, it's of note that Giddey was intrigued by the idea of joining the franchise.

Giddey's passing would have added a unique wrinkle to the offense and would have taken a load off Wembanyama's shoulder as he could have picked his spots easier and gotten better looks for himself.

Still, Giddey is in a solid position for his future and the Spurs maintained flexibility by signing Paul to a one-year deal -- while the Thunder might be ultimate winners as they've got a championship-contending roster that is ready to make a run next season.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.