OKC Thunder: Alex Caruso is the Best-Case Scenario Return for Josh Giddey

The Oklahoma City Thunder made its first big move of the offseason, sending Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for veteran Alex Caruso.

Mar 31, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (6) celebrates his three-point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Leave it to who else but the Oklahoma City Thunder to blow open the NBA offseason doors with a trade.

Yesterday the first big move since the playoffs ended came between the Thunder and Chicago Bulls, swapping Josh Giddey and Alex Caruso in a one-for-one trade. No picks attached. As simple of a trade as you can get.

It would've been hard to imagine Giddey being traded from Oklahoma City after only three years before last season, but the writing had been on the wall for months. The 21-year-old dealt with extended time off the court, a changing role, awkward fit in the lineup and was moved to the bench in the second round against the Dallas Mavericks. It was clear both him and the organization were moving in different directions, and splitting up was going to be mutually benficial.

With Giddey needing the ball in his hands a significant amount to provide offensive value, it didn't make sense alongside a superstar guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The MVP candidate is the focal point of the offense, and Giddey's inability to shoot the 3-pointer or provide anything on defense didn't allow him to flourish. It's possible he can do that in Chicago, but it was simply never going to happen in Oklahoma City.

Caruso's fit on the other hand? Seamless.

The 30-year-old is coming off a season where he averaged a 40% clip from behind the arc on nearly five attempts per game and received an All-Defensive Second Team selection. That alone says enough about how coveted of a role player he is across the league.

With a three-and-D archetype, Caruso is the type of a player that can be inserted into any lineup and make an impact. With the Thunder's plan to run a five-out system of offense that also prioritizes versatile defenders, he makes a lot more sense for the future than Giddey did. It already has elite defenders between Chet Holmgren, Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace, but now it's top three defense is getting even more intimidating.

“I mean individually the data on him is extremely high class," Thunder general manager Sam Presti said of Caruso at a presser on Friday. "His individual effect on defenses are well known — people often times look at height when they talk about defending wing players, we look at effectiveness.”

If the pairing goes as well as it should next season, it also has the option to extend the guard to a four year, $80 million extension. It'd be a fair price tag that could be less than what Giddey would've demanded, which is important given how many contracts Oklahoma City will have to extend in the coming seasons.

Acquiring Caruso is a win-now move. Championship teams need a player like him, everyone saw it with Derrick White and the Boston Celtics. It doesn't matter if he comes off the bench or gets inserted into the starting lineup, the veteran is going to be a pivotal piece anywhere he plays.

That's the best the Thunder possibly could've asked to get in return for Giddey. Even though he seemed like a player destined to be a part of its core for years to come, sometimes it just doesn't work out the way it's expected. Caruso solves a lot of the issues that hurt it during the playoffs, and it allows Giddey to get a fresh start with a new organization

Oklahoma City signed Caruso as an undrafted free agent back in 2016, where he spent one season with the Blue. The head coach at the time? Mark Daigneault.

It didn't pan out the first time, but eight years later, Caruso is right back where he began his NBA journey. The Thunder has pursued his return for some time, and it's finally come to fruition.

This time it'll be contending for a championship, not just trying to make it to the main roster.

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