Oklahoma City Makes Win-Now Move In Swap Of Josh Giddey For ...

The Chicago Bulls' Alex Caruso (6) drives the lane during the second quarter against the Oklahoma ... [+] City Thunder at the United Center on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

As the Oklahoma City Thunder look to improve the roster this offseason, the first splash of the summer occurred on Thursday afternoon.

As first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Thunder are trading Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso. This is a deal that signals Oklahoma City making a championship push next season, swapping young talent for a proven veteran. It’s a full-circle moment for Caruso, who spent time early in his career with the Thunder’s G League system alongside current head coach Mark Daigneault.

This is one of the unique trades that makes sense for both teams. While Giddey’s value around the league has decreased over the past year, he’s still an incredibly talented player at 21 years old. With a fresh start in Chicago, there’s no question he could end up being a borderline All-Star one day. With great positional size and remarkable passing upside, he will have the chance to shine with the Bulls.

The other factor in this deal was Giddey’s looming extension. Now that he has been dealt to Chicago, the Thunder doesn’t have to worry about coming to an agreement on a contract value and making that longterm commitment.

Ironically enough, Caruso is also due for a contract extension in the near future as he’s owed $9.9 million for the 2024-25 campaign in the final year of his deal. But with him, it’s a bit more straightforward. Exactly six months from the date of this trade going through, he’s eligible for a four-year, $80 million extension. Although he’s 30 years old, all indications suggest that the Thunder view Caruso as someone acquired to be part of the team not only this upcoming season, but for the four years following as well.

Rather than having to commit to Giddey for another several seasons and negotiate when there could be a gap in monetary expectations, Oklahoma City knows what it’s getting Caruso and should feel comfortable with an extension of roughly $20 million per season.

This is also a win-now move for the Thunder. Giddey was a strong contributor for this team last season, but his weaknesses were often exploited. Rather than attempting to make Giddey fit into OKC’s schemes and wait for him to develop more, the Thunder gets an immediate impact contributor who fits perfectly.

Caruso is one of the best defenders in the entire NBA. He’s earned back-to-back NBA All-Defensive Team nods and is known for being a playmaker on that end. Offensively, the 6-foot-5 guard converted on 40% of triples which will provide tremendous value to the Thunder’s primary scorers — who thrive when putting pressure on the rim.

This feels like a move that lends well to more activity as the offseason goes on. Thunder GM Sam Presti continues to make intelligent moves, raising the team’s chances of winning a title next season without mortgaging their future.