OKC Thunder With Opportunity to Showcase Reason for Alex Caruso Trade

The Thunder and Bulls made a swap this summer that helped Oklahoma City raise its ceiling.

Alex Caruso is pictured during the Thunder media day at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma City had a big offseason, and its first move might have been its best.

After winning 57 games and ascending to the top of the Western Conference last season, the Thunder’s second-round exit prompted a few key changes. Among those was trading Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso.

The Thunder drafted Giddey in the lottery in 2021, and he started every game until Game 5 against Dallas. Compared to the rest of the team, Giddey’s play style was often an odd fit, and his weaknesses began to hurt the Thunder.

With Giddey’s shooting struggles and defensive limitations, the Thunder traded for Caruso to address those specific issues. Although he has not slotted into Giddey’s spot in the starting five, Caruso is exactly what Oklahoma City was looking for, shooting 40.8% from outside and making his second straight All-Defensive Team last season.

Although his elite 3-point shooting has not been on display yet, Caruso’s ability to impact the game in various ways was clear in the Thunder’s season opener. In 19 minutes against the Denver Nuggets, Caruso went scoreless while adding six rebounds and four assists.

Along with the Thunder being +19 with him on the floor, Caruso’s usage rate was only 6.4%. His impact without the ball helped give more opportunities to players such as Chet Holmgren.

Last season, Giddey’s usage rate was 23.1%. Considering Giddey was not an efficient scorer and a non-threat from beyond the arc, getting the ball into the hands of other players was a priority for Oklahoma City in the offseason.

While Giddey’s usage in Chicago thus far is similar to his in Oklahoma City, he is playing a role that better suits him and the team. Through two games, Giddey’s minutes are up from last season, while averaging 15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and six assists.

While Giddey might put up solid numbers on Saturday, the Thunder’s trade was about addition by subtraction. Giddey’s departure opened up possessions for other stars and allowed the Thunder to play their style without limitations.

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