OKC Thunder See Early Season Date With Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls

The Oklahoma City Thunder will see an early season tilt with Josh Giddey and the Chicago Bulls on the road in the Windy City.

Oct 25, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) during the second half of a basketball game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off an early summer trade with the Chicago Bulls, a rare one-for-one swap, exchanging the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft Josh Giddey for defensive ace Alex Caruso.

This is a move that makes sense for each side. Giddey, who was forced to play a role that was not conducive to individual success a year ago, now will get the ball in his hands more in the Windy City during a contract year that will help shape a bigger payday for the 21-year-old - who was unfairly judged for failing in a role he was never designed to play.

Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off an unbelievable trade swapping out the misfitted Giddey for Caruso who is the definition of modern Thunder basketball with his defensive versatility to switch 1-4, shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc and can pick up some of the playmaking duties left behind by the former top ten pick. The All-defensive member also comes with a familiarity with Mark Daigneault who served as Caruso's G League bench boss before the Texas A&M product headed West for Los Angeles where he won a title with the Purple and Gold.

Two of the biggest games on the calendar will be when these two sides face off, seeing how Daigneault elects to defend Giddey and what the ultra-talented lottery pick looks like with a change of scenery. These two sides will clash early in the year.

In Oklahoma City's second game of the season, the Thunder will take a trip to the Windy City, marking Caruso's first game back at the United Center and OKC's first clash against Giddey who rejected a bench role with the franchise this offseason leading to his departure.

The matchup is set for Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7:00 PM CT.

This game also represents a reunion between Daigneault and former OKC Thunder sideline pacer Billy Donovan as the two worked closely together both at the University of Florida and in Bricktown where Daigneault began as the G League head man before joining Donovan's NBA staff as an assistant and earning the promotion once Donovan bolted for Chicago.

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