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OKC Thunder: Alex Caruso Trade Is a Win-Win For All Involved, Including Josh Giddey
The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off a blockbuster swap on Thursday exchanging former No. 6 overall pick Josh Giddey for a defensive ace with championship pedigree, Alex Caruso. This trade bolstered a 57-win ball club and signals their championship aspirations in a win-now move.
While the Thunder will enjoy the league's best defense and adding the boost to their playmaking and outside shooting, many believe Oklahoma City pulled off a heist - and as far as straight value goes, perhaps they did. However, this move is deeper than that and should be viewed as a win for all sides.
As Giddey suffered a career-worst it was clear to see this was not the proper environment to maximize his skill set. Without the on-ball reps to flourish, Giddey suffered a year-three set back in an off-ball role that he will likely never be cut out for.
While Oklahoma City upgraded their roster, Giddey upgraded his situation in the last year of his contract.
"Ultimately, I think his dream and vision was to lead a team, and I'm not going to -- I'm not questioning that at all. I actually think that is very realistic, but that probably wasn't going to happen here at this time. So we just prioritized what was best for us. Having the chance to get Alex Caruso was the best thing for us, and I'm glad that it happened to put Josh in a great situation," OKC Thunder Top executive Sam Presti said at a press conference following this trade.
The Thunder get who Presti calls a "quintessential Thunder player," and the 21-year-old guards winds up with a roster better suited for his needs.
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RYLAN STILES
Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is Lead Beat Writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network.