Josh Giddey was, at one time, thought of part of the core for the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder shifting ahead. The emergence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as an MVP candidate, in addition to Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams as future All-Stars slowly made him redundant. Whereas Giddey is a beneficial ball-handler and playmaker, his weak spot as a shooter made it very arduous for him to play on a group with a lot expertise elsewhere.
This got here to a head within the second spherical in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks, as coach Mark Daigneault finally elected to bench Giddey for the ultimate few video games of that collection. This finally proved to be the start of the tip for the connection between Giddey and the Thunder, as Oklahoma Metropolis basic supervisor Sam Presti specified by his press launch following the group’s resolution to commerce him for Alex Caruso. In response to Presti, Giddey didn’t like the thought of going to the bench subsequent season and requested the group to discover different locations.
“Once we drafted Josh in 2021 he was a vital side of our imaginative and prescient for the subsequent iteration of the Thunder,” Presti wrote.
“Since then, our group has developed quickly and dynamically in methods we might by no means have anticipated. Due to this fact, as we started our inside discussions this low season, it was decided that bringing Josh off the bench subsequent season was our greatest possibility to maximise his many skills and deploy our group extra effectively over 48 minutes.Â
As we laid out to Josh how he might lean into his strengths and finally optimize our present roster and expertise, it was arduous to for him to ascertain, and conversations turned to him inquiring about potential alternatives elsewhere. As at all times was the case, Josh demonstrated the utmost professionalism all through the discussions. Josh has All-Star potential, however accessing that within the present assemble of the Thunder wouldn’t be optimum for the collective. Based mostly on these discussions we determined to maneuver ahead and prioritize what was greatest for the group.”
Giddey will in all probability get what he desires subsequent season in Chicago. The Bulls are reportedly making an attempt to commerce Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan is a free agent, so the Bulls seem able to not solely begin Giddey, however give him each alternative to function a main ball-handler. Caruso is a a lot lower-maintenance participant. He could make 3’s and function a connective passer, however he would not want the ball or to start out. His worth comes totally on protection, an space wherein Giddey struggled. He is the proper position participant for a group with the form of stars that pushed Giddey out of Oklahoma Metropolis.