Tag: Alex Caruso

‘Where I started,’ Texas A&M alumnus Alex Caruso reflects on Oklahoma City Thunder return

“It’s been nice, some good memories. Obviously, this is where I started my professional career,” Caruso recalled. “So many familiar faces.”

After going undrafted out of Texas A&M in 2016, combo guard Alex Caruso signed his first professional contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder organization after playing for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Summer League.

Less than eight years later, Caruso has returned to wearing Thunder blue, orange and white after being traded to Oklahoma City from Chicago last week.

“It’s been nice, some good memories. Obviously, this is where I started my professional career,” Caruso recalled. “So many familiar faces. The continuity of the organization has been great and I think that’ll really help me ease back into it and get to know my teammates. The facility is still the same so I know where everything is at. I’m just really excited to be here.”

Caruso was traded straight up for point guard Josh Giddey.

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Josh Giddey elaborates on refusal to come off bench for Thunder

Josh Giddey elaborates on refusal to come off bench next season for Thunder.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Josh Giddey parted ways with each other after three seasons last week. The 21-year-old was shipped to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso.

The deal was sparked by Giddey’s unwillingness to come off the bench for this upcoming season in OKC. After he made that clear, Thunder general manager Sam Presti pivoted.

Giddey spoke more about his conversations with Presti in his introductory press conference with the Bulls. He said he’d rather get a fresh start elsewhere as a primary ball-handler in hopes of a massive extension.

“I just said to him, ‘At this point in my career, I’m 21 years old, it wasn’t something that I was overly eager to do.’ He completely understood. Throughout the whole process, we were open and honest with each other,” Giddey said. “.. He got it. We worked together through the whole process and he got me to a great spot.”

It was a rollercoaster season for Giddey. He went from a primary ball-handler in his first two seasons to an off-ball fourth scoring option. His lack of an outside shot made him a hindrance in the halfcourt. Opposing defenses sagged off him.

It reached a boiling point in the playoffs when Giddey was benched in the Thunder’s last two playoff games against the Dallas Mavericks. It would’ve been impractical to return from that decision next season.

“A lot of it came more with how good our team got and how much we evolved as a group,” Giddey said. “My role kinda — I don’t wanna say diminished — but it was kinda different to the first two years I had…

“It was more accredited to our team than anything. We just got good quickly. Those kinda things happened. My role changed a little bit and it was just a year of adjusting and learning different things.”

The fit between the Thunder and Giddey was more awkward than not this past season. He was passed on the totem pole, which took away his strengths.

It was difficult to imagine he’d sign a new deal with OKC this offseason because of that.

Now, both sides get fresh starts after a clean divorce. Giddey returns to being a lead playmaker and the Thunder get an easier fit with Caruso, who is one of the best 3-and-D players in the league.

“I want to be the pass-first point guard that I am,” Giddey said. “And help teammates generate easy looks and get good right from the get-go.”

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Alex Caruso excited to strengthen OKC Thunder’s elite defense

Alex Caruso excited to strengthen Thunder’s elite defense.

Bringing the basketball up the court, opposing high-usage scorers must pick their poison on most possessions against the Oklahoma City Thunder this upcoming season.

If they draw back-to-back All-Defensive member Alex Caruso, a switch will likely bring them Lu Dort — someone likely on his way to his first All-Defensive honors. Good luck getting past him.

If they ask for another screen, Cason Wallace could get matched up. The 20-year-old has defensive chops. Ask CJ McCollum about him when he was shut down in Game 1 of Round 1 in the NBA playoffs in the final seconds.

If enough time is left on the shot clock for a fourth switch, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is no weakness. He’s an underrated defender and led the league in steals last season.

If an opposing scorer somehow manages to beat all levels, their final boss battle will occur at the rim. Expect Chet Holmgren — who was second in blocks last season and already one of the best rim protectors — to either swallow their shot attempt up or force out a bad kick-out pass.

It was already the case last season, but especially more now following Caruso’s addition — the Thunder will force players to earn their baskets. Nobody on the floor will be a major negative on the defensive side.

When Wallace is on the bench, Jalen Williams is no slouch either. His lengthy wingspan and solid physical size make him a good defender. If he’s the worst defender on the floor, that speaks volumes to a squad’s depth.

The Thunder’s acquisition of Caruso helped them strengthen a top-five defense from last year. They enter this upcoming season with arguably the best defensive personnel both outside and inside.

The 30-year-old reintroduced himself to the Thunder nearly a decade after his first unmemorable stop. In his first media scrum with the Thunder, Caruso was excited about the defensive possibilities.

“I looked up some highlights on YouTube the other day of them playing defense just to kinda get myself into that kinda headspace because I was excited for it,” Caruso said. “Long, athletic, competitive, tough. Those are all things that we just described as All-Defensive caliber players, good defensive teams.

“They have a lot of that. They have rim protection. They got active hands. Guys that are willing to sacrifice for the team. Those are all things that are important. I’m just excited to add to that.”

In OKC, he will get the luxury of not being asked to be the top POA stopper like he was with the Chicago Bulls. This gives him a chance to dominate matchups against lesser offense threats.

“I just know I’m not gonna be the main focus every night defensively,” Caruso said. “I think in Chicago everyone had me No. 1 on the radar for the defensive gameplan and I think with Lu, with Chet, those are guys you have to account for.”

The Thunder made the best of Josh Giddey’s dissatisfaction. They traded in his passing and size for perimeter defense and shooting. Considering OKC’s style on both sides of the ball, it’s a better fit.

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Alex Caruso details excitement over reunion with Mark Daigneault

Alex Caruso details excitement over reunion with Mark Daigneault.

After nearly a decade, Mark Daigneault and Alex Caruso were reunited as a coach-player duo. This time around, it’s with the Oklahoma City Thunder instead of the G League’s OKC Blue.

Caruso was sent to the Thunder in a trade that shipped Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls. The 30-year-old is a smoother fit in OKC than the latter was due to his 3-and-D abilities.

After going undrafted in 2016, Caruso had his first real stop in the NBA with the Blue. He used that opportunity to springboard his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he carved out an NBA career.

He signed with the Bulls in 2021 and enjoyed individual success. He was named to back-to-back All-Defensive Teams and shot 40.8% from 3 on 4.7 attempts last season in a clunky Chicago offense.

Daigneault underwent a similar unorthodox path. The 39-year-old went from the Blue’s head coach to Thunder assistant to Thunder head coach in 2020.

Even when they lost, it was evident how bright his future was in the league. Daigneault’s coaching proxy was rewarded when he was named the Coach of the Year this past season. He shepherded the youngest first seed in league history.

After both individuals had their unique paths to success, they now have a chance to be productive at the NBA level. Caruso said he talked to Daigneault after the deal and both exchanged pleasantries and jabs.

“I was smiling ear to ear talking to him on the phone just because I was excited to play for him again,” Caruso said. “He told me, ‘Don’t be a smarta–.’ I told him, ‘I can’t wait for him to cuss me out at the first practice when I mess something up.’

“We’ll hit the ground running. It’ll be great just like it always is.”

As the Thunder embarks on a contention window, Daigneault will get more shots to help carve out the roster that best suits the team’s style. One of his first shots at helping bring in a win-now player involved a former G League player he coached. That’s the value of building those relationships.

Even though Caruso is only under contract for one year, it’s evident his pairing with the Thunder is a match made in heaven. Both sides mutually benefit from their presence.

“A lot of growth from when we first started together,” Caruso said. “There’s a lot of positives and a lot of learning experiences we could take from those years.”

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Alex Caruso addresses long-term future with Thunder

Alex Caruso addresses long-term future with Thunder.

It was a busy day for Alex Caruso as he went around the Oklahoma City Thunder to introduce himself on Monday. Or rather, re-introduce himself after being gone for nearly a decade.

The 30-year-old was shipped from the Chicago Bulls for Josh Giddey. The surprising deal bolstered the Thunder’s depth.

The two-time All-Defensive player gives OKC one of the best defensive personnel in the league. He’s a seamless fit for the Thunder as a 3-and-D player who is a low-usage player.

Opposing high-usage scorers will struggle to find weaknesses among the Thunder starters. Caruso and Lu Dort are some of the best POA defenders. Cason Wallace will likely soon join those conversations.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in steals last season. Chet Holmgren was second in blocks and is already one of the best rim protectors in the league.

In Chicago, Caruso has sharpened his outside shot. He had his best season yet last year. He shot nearly 41% from 3 on a little under five attempts. This is even more impressive considering how clunky the Bulls’ offense was.

In a true 5-out offense with some of the best drivers in the league, expect Caruso to get plenty of open catch-and-shoot looks from outside with the Thunder.

The only risk involved is Caruso’s expiring salary of $9.9 million. Even though it’s been reported the Thunder want to keep him for the long run, the chance of him leaving will cloud over OKC until he inks a new deal.

Caruso gave a safe answer when asked about his deal on Monday. He said he’d rather focus on this season before his future.

“That conversation is for another place and time. I know what Oklahoma City as an organization stands for,” Caruso said. “I can obviously tell they’ve done a good job at bringing together a good team. Possibly but I think for now, I’d just like to meet my teammates and get to work.”

Even though fans might be disappointed Caruso didn’t proclaim his desire to stay with the Thunder for several seasons, it’s probably the safe route for him to take heading into the negotiation process.

It’d be counterproductive for Caruso to state he wants to stay. He’ll be eligible for a four-year, $80 million deal in late December. There’s no reason to risk decreasing that amount right now.

Regardless, both parties are ecstatic about the addition — which is a healthy sign. There’s no reason to think the 30-year-old won’t succeed in OKC this upcoming season. Caruso gets a chance to reunite with Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. Both were with the G League’s OKC Blue in 2016.

The 30-year-old has reached out to a couple of his new teammates already. He mentioned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jaylin Williams. He hopes to get to know the rest of the squad soon.

“(Gilgeous-Alexander) said he was excited to have me,” Caruso said. “Complimented me and obviously I showered him with praise back.”

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ESPN’s Zach Lowe loves Alex Caruso’s fit on OKC Thunder

ESPN’s Zach Lowe loves Alex Caruso’s fit on OKC Thunder.

The Oklahoma City Thunder dropped one of the first dominos of the 2024 offseason when they shipped Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso.

The deal was met with approval for the Thunder. They swapped out a misplaced fit in Giddey with a seamless fit in Caruso. The 30-year-old is one of the best 3-and-D players in the league.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe was a huge fan of the addition for the Thunder. He spoke about the deal on “NBA Today” on Friday. He notes the back-to-back All-Defensive member makes OKC an even bigger threat to win a championship next season.

“Be very afraid. Be very, very afraid,” Lowe said. “Shooting, defense, the amount of steals this team is going to get is going to be ridiculous. You have to guard him. He rounds out an already great team.”

Even though Giddey had his worst season yet and was benched near the end of the playoffs, there’s still a pathway for him to be a quality starter. It wouldn’t happen in OKC as he went from primary ball-handler his first two seasons to an off-ball role this past season, which was hard to succeed in as a non-shooter.

Being asked to come off the bench for the Thunder was a breaking point for Giddey. He’d rather get moved to a squad that gives him a chance to return to playmaker duties.

Both parties get a fresh start. The Thunder get a better fit who could start while the Bulls have an opportunity to see if Giddey can be a long-term starter for them as they likely enter a rebuild.

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Josh Giddey writes heartfelt goodbye to Thunder after trade to Bulls

Josh Giddey writes heartfelt goodbye to Thunder after trade to Bulls.

Sometimes the right decisions can be the most difficult ones. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Josh Giddey can attest to that.

Both parties came to a clean divorce on Thursday when the Thunder shipped Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso in a rare player-for-player swap.

The 21-year-old yearned for a fresh start after he refused to agree to come off the bench next season. Giddey instead gets a chance to return to a primary ball-handler role after struggling to fit in an off-ball role in OKC this past season.

Meanwhile, the Thunder find a cleaner fit with Caruso. The 30-year-old is one of the best 3-and-D players in the league. He’s had back-to-back seasons of All-Defensive honors.

Even though it was the best move for Giddey’s career, emotions were likely raw. He’s been open about his fondness for OKC and has called it a home away from home. He was on the verge of tears in his exit interview and claimed he wanted to be with the Thunder for the long-term future.

After the trade became official, Giddey wrote a heartfelt goodbye letter to the Thunder. He posted a lengthy message on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8fxLH9Rerx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

The comments were filled with Giddey’s former teammates reciprocating the emotional farewell. It’s fair to say they will be massive supporters of the 21-year-old as he starts his stint in Chicago.

This is part of the business in the NBA. Giddey was drafted to OKC with the vision of being a long-term backcourt starter. Instead, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren knocked him down the totem pole.

Giddey tried to make his off-ball role work, but he needed the ball in his hands to reach his potential, which wasn’t going to happen in OKC.

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Potential Warriors target Alex Caruso traded from Bulls to Thunder for Josh Giddey

The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired all-defensive guard Alex Caruso in a trade with the Bulls.

Shortly after the Boston Celtics were crowned 2024 champions of the NBA, the rest of the association got busy as the doors to the offseason opened up. Before free agency officially got underway, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls completed one of the first impact trades of the offseason.

The Thunder acquired two-time All-Defensive guard and former champ Alex Caruso from the Bulls in a trade for former lottery pick Josh Giddey. Caruso will join the Western Conference on a stacked young Thunder squad built around a dynamic core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.

Via @wojespn on Twitter:

Since last season, Caruso has been connected to the Warriors as a potential target in trade chatter. According to Will Gottlieb of CHGO reported the Warriors were one of multiple teams interested in Caruso at the trade deadline.

The former Texas A&M Aggie is coming off a career-best season with 10.1 points per game on 46.8% from the field and 40.8% from beyond the arc. Caruso added 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals and one block per contest. Caruso was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive second team last season.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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Josh Giddey’s departure opens ball-handling reps for Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace

Josh Giddey’s departure opens ball-handling reps for Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace.

As Josh Giddeys exits the Oklahoma City Thunder, a vacuum of ball-handling possessions must be filled.

Even though he downsized in his role this past season, the 21-year-old averaged the third-most touches and second-most passes for OKC last season. With him shipped to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso, it frees up notable playmaker reps.

Sam Presti hopes players like Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace can exploit the opportunities. Both showed flashes of being playmakers last season but never established that as a strength.

Considering how young they are, they have plenty of room to grow. Being secondary playmakers can fill them out as well-rounded contributors.

“One of the things that we were also trying to account for with the decision to move ahead with the trade with Josh was we do want to try to continue to open up opportunities for Chet and continue to explore that potential with him with the ball,” Presti said.

“The decision with Josh also pushes more ball-handling responsibilities to Cason, who’s a player that we think very highly of but is going to need room to grow and opportunity.

“Even if those immediate dividends may not be perfect because that’s how people and players get better, but they need to be exposed to those opportunities.”

Even though Caruso is a much smoother fit with the Thunder, he lacks playmaking skills. The 30-year-old is a low-usage player who will be more of a catch-and-shoot threat than a pick-and-roll maestro.

This deal will have a trickle-down effect on playmaking duties among the rest of the roster.

If Holmgren and Wallace can turn into effective ball-handlers, that will help strengthen OKC’s hopes of having a roster filled with players who can dribble, pass and shoot.

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‘I think he’s going to be a great player’: Sam Presti remains firm believer in Josh Giddey

‘I think he’s going to be a great player’: Sam Presti remains firm believer in Josh Giddey.

Despite splitting apart, Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti remains a strong supporter of Josh Giddey. OKC shipped out the 21-year-old to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Alex Caruso in a rare player-for-player deal.

Presti spoke about the deal on Friday once it became official. In an earlier statement, he revealed both parties couldn’t see eye to eye in their future. Giddey elected against being in a bench role next season and would rather go to a squad that lets him return to a primary ball-handler role.

This meant a trade made sense for both sides. Presti is a firm believer that the 21-year-old will be an awesome player for the Bulls, who can extend him this offseason or wait it out until next year in restricted free agency.

“I think Josh is going to be an elite player. I have a lot of confidence in that,” Presti said. “I think the Bulls got an absolutely great player, and I think he’s going to be a great player for a long time.”

Presti said with the Bulls, Giddey can get more on-ball reps, which was hard to envision in OKC. He was fourth in the totem pole and playmaking possessions quickly dried up for him.

“I don’t know that that was going to be possible within the construct of the team we have and where his ambitions were,” Presti said. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”

With the 21-year-old gone, he leaves a ball-handling vacuum the Thunder hope other players like Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace can fill.

“We talked about it quite openly, but this is more opportunity for other people,” Presti said. “That opportunity that he was going to have will be distributed to other people.”

As the Thunder fully dives into their championship window, they will need to continuously tweak their roster to maximize their trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Holmgren.

Perhaps Giddey can carve out a nice career and be this iteration’s Jeff Green, but a pathway to success for him with the Thunder just wasn’t there any longer.

“I really believe in him. I think he’s going to do great,” Presti said. “I think he’s a unique talent in a lot of ways, and he’s going to be good for a really long time.”

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