Stiles Points: Olympic Josh Giddey Shows Context Needed Next Season

The Oklahoma City Thunder will need context around Josh Giddey-Alex Caruso swap.

Aug 6, 2024; Paris, France; Australia guard Josh Giddey (3) reacts after making a three pointer during the first half against Serbia in men’s basketball quarterfinals during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Giddey wrapped up an emotional Olympic run which ended in tears and what felt far too early. While the 21-year-old will have to wait four more years to redeem his country at the next Olympic Games, he only has to wait a little over four more weeks to redeem himself at an NBA level. 

Coming off the worst season of his basketball career that ended with his 218-game starting streak snapping in the postseason where he became unplayable he entered an offseason of uncertainty. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder were still envisioning a partnership between themselves and their No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft but heading into a contract year they pitched the guard on a bench role that Giddey wanted no part in. 

This led Oklahoma City to swiftly trade the ball handler to Chicago in exchange for Alex Caruso. OKC gained a defensive ace that is comfortable floating in and out of the first five, shoots 40 percent from beyond the arc and checks every box of the Thunder’s style. 

Giddey, earns a fresh start in the Windy City, a role that is much closer to his ideal NBA outcome and presumably the chance to start again ahead of his offseason payday. 

This Olympic period was a reminder of how important context will be for this upcoming NBA season. Giddey really has no where to go but up. 

He is far too talented individually to somehow have a worse season than a year ago and for the first time in his NBA career his role has the chance to be near-perfect for his skill set. His awkward power struggle with Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander limited the 21-year-old to this point to no fault of either player. 

The simple fact is Gilgeous-Alexander is miles better than Giddey and thus took the ball out of his hands. When the former No. 6 overall pick is relegated to an off-ball role he really has limited ways to positive impact the game. 

Being able to play to his strengths in Chicago will allow Olympic Giddey to translate to the NBA and make the 21-year-old appear to be vastly improved when in reality the true upgrade was in his role. An improvement that couldn’t happen in Bricktown after he rejected a bench role as he would still be too far down the pecking order to have the ball in his heads. 

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