Tag: Josh Giddey

2024-25 Chicago Bulls: A quick preview

The Chicago Bulls appear ready to dismantle their roster and focus on a full rebuild around their remaining young talent. After years without significant roster changes, the Bulls shook things up this summer by trading away DeMar DeRozan, their top …

The Chicago Bulls appear ready to dismantle their roster and focus on a full rebuild around their remaining young talent. After years without significant roster changes, the Bulls shook things up this summer by trading away DeMar DeRozan, their top offensive weapon, and Alex Caruso, their defensive anchor. Although they missed the optimal window to get maximum value for both players, their trades have now positioned the team for a youth movement.

The future now centers around guard Josh Giddey, rookie forward Matas Buzelis, Coby White, and Patrick Williams. Buzelis, the 11th overall pick in this year’s draft, had an impressive Summer League showing and is expected to play a significant role this season. Standing at 6-foot-8 with rare ball-handling skills for his size, Buzelis brings much-needed versatility to the Bulls, though his shooting remains a work in progress.

Despite persistent trade rumors, Zach LaVine remains on the roster, leaving questions about whether the Bulls will trade him before the season or if he still fits into their future plans. Nikola Vucevic has also failed to meet expectations in Chicago, leaving the Bulls with a depleted frontcourt. The only reinforcement heading into the season is the addition of Jalen Smith on a bargain contract.

Chet Holmgren opens up about Josh Giddey trade, said he was hurt over his exit

Chet Holmgren opens up about Josh Giddey trade, said he was hurt over his exit.

After a busy offseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder prepare for the 2024-25 campaign as a title favorite. They bolstered their depth with the additions of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso.

Even though the improvements are no-brainers, that doesn’t mean the Thunder left the offseason unscathed. OKC made the tough — but right — decision to part ways with Josh Giddey.

After he refused to come off the bench for next season, the Thunder shipped the 21-year-old to the Chicago Bulls for Caruso. This marked the first major departure from the Thunder’s rebuild.

Giddey spent the last three seasons with the Thunder. After a strong first two years, he underwent his worst career campaign last season. A demotion in his role from a primary ball-handler to the fourth option led to that.

Despite this, Giddey remained a positive among his teammates. Chet Holmgren opened up about his departure in an appearance on Paul George’s “Podcast P” episode.

“I was f—ing hurt when I saw that Giddey wasn’t going to be on our team anymore,” Holmgren said. “We all rock with him. That’s our dog. Still is. He’s gonna go do great things in Chicago.”

Even though the Thunder replaced him with an easier fit in Caruso, that doesn’t mean the time spent among his teammates will be easy to wash away. Such is business in the NBA.

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Dates for when Josh Giddey, Bulls will clash with OKC Thunder during 2024-25 season revealed

Dates for when Josh Giddey, Bulls will clash with OKC Thunder during 2024-25 season revealed.

After three seasons, Josh Giddey waved goodbye to OKC earlier this offseason. The 21-year-old declined the chance to come off the bench next season to return to a primary ball-handler role.

The Oklahoma City Thunder shipped Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso. It’s a move that made sense for both parties after the former had his worst season yet in OKC last year.

The Thunder announced their 2024-25 regular season schedule and their two contests against the Bulls are spread across the seven-month campaign. They will travel to Chicago early in the season on Oct. 26 to face Giddey.

Giddey’s return to OKC won’t happen until deep into the regular season. The Bulls will face the Thunder at Paycom Center on Mar. 31.

This will mark his return since being traded. Expect Giddey to receive loud applause. Even though he asked out and didn’t get a second contract with the Thunder, the 21-year-old was a clear fan favorite during his time in OKC.

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Bleacher Report sees former Thunder Josh Giddey as 2024-25 breakout candidate

Bleacher Report sees former Thunder Josh Giddey as 2024-25 breakout candidate.

Whether it’s through development or new opportunities, every season features a handful of breakout candidates. The NBA rewards the best of that bunch with the Most Improved Player award.

As the offseason slows down, most teams have their rosters figured out ahead of the 2024-25 season. The next few months allow ample time to reflect on the new rosters and prepare for next year’s campaign.

Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes took advantage of the downtime. He listed out five breakout candidates for next season. One included a familiar face for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Josh Giddey was included in the entry. The 21-year-old received a fresh start with the Chicago Bulls after he was dealt there for Alex Caruso. He will return to a more familiar role as a primary ball-handler.

Hughes believes this new setting can bring the best out of Giddey, who is in the final year of his rookie deal and hopes to get a massive extension next offseason with the Bulls.

“Whether they’re right to think so or not, the Bulls clearly view Giddey as a foundational piece. He was the sole return in the trade that sent Alex Caruso to OKC, and DeMar DeRozan is no longer around to sop up touches. Assuming Zach LaVine eventually follows DeRozan out the door (or succumbs to another injury that removes him from the rotation), Giddey may only have Coby White to compete with for control of the offense.

That’s a little different than vying for a share of the action with MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.”

This is a sound argument. Giddey’s problems in OKC were more about fit than talent. He flourished his first two seasons before he was demoted in the pecking order last year.

There’s a strong chance the 21-year-old puts up decent statistics on a bad Bulls squad on its way to the draft lottery.

He must improve on his outside shooting and finishing around the basket to be a high-end starter on a quality team though. But the Bulls are far from dealing with those types of problems.

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Canada’s win over Australia latest reminder why Thunder made right call to trade Josh Giddey

Canada’s win over Australia latest reminder why Thunder made right call to trade Josh Giddey.

Heading into Australia’s group contest against Canada, Josh Giddey had a little extra motivation beyond the 2024 Olympics.

The 21-year-old had an early chance to show out against his former teammates Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort. The trio were traditional starters for the Oklahoma City Thunder the last three seasons.

A career-worst campaign last year featured Giddey playing a career-low in minutes and was benched during OKC’s final two playoff games. After the season, he requested a fresh start after refusing to come off the bench for next season.

Giddey’s wish was granted when he was swapped with Alex Caruso to the Chicago Bulls. Entering the last year of his rookie deal, he hopes to have a bounce-back campaign next season as a primary ball-handler to secure a long-term deal.

In Australia’s close loss to Canada, Giddey exemplified why he still has a shot to be a quality NBA starter and couldn’t work out on the Thunder any longer.

Scoring the opening basket on a patent floater, Giddey had a strong start. The 6-foot-8 guard controlled the rhythm and was a maestro with the ball. He gained confidence and hit on some difficult off-dribble 3-pointers on the shortened Olympics perimeter line.

At halftime, he led the Boomers to a 49-45 lead with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, four rebounds and three assists. He stuffed the stat sheet and was the best player on the court.

It was easy to see why the Thunder liked Giddey so much. He showed flashes of being a high-end playmaker who can attack the basket and get to the free-throw line. The outside shot also looked respectable, which has been his biggest weakness since entering the league.

An awesome first half saw some Thunder fans ponder if they made a mistake. Perhaps Giddey could’ve worked out here and should’ve received more on-ball reps. There was a sense of FOMO in the early morning hours of Tuesday.

But then the second half quickly reminded folks why it wouldn’t have worked out and a clean divorce was the best course of action for both parties this offseason.

Canada assigned its top two defenders Dort and Dillon Brooks to Giddey. As soon as that happened, the 21-year-old collapsed under the pressure. He struggled to create space and faded into the background as Canada created a large lead.

Giddey had just four points on 1-of-5 shooting, three rebounds and three assists in the latter two quarters.

A pair of turnovers were caused by former teammate Dort — who poked the ball away from Giddey from behind as he sprinted past halfcourt and had the ball snatched from him later on for an easy transition dunk for Canada to end the third quarter.

Australia struggled to score in the second half and Giddey being iced out left them with no real go-to scorer. Canada collected a double-digit win in a contest with several lead changes in the first half.

The tale of two halves summarized Giddey. He can thrive as a ball-handler but that wasn’t going to happen with the Thunder. A quiet second half demonstrated some of the struggles he might face as the focal point of opposing defenses.

The Thunder could’ve run it back with Giddey next season, but it’d be doing so knowing there’s a ceiling with his impact as the fourth option on limited touches.

Instead, the Thunder ripped the bandaid off and found an easier fit in Caruso, a textbook 3-and-D starter. It was the right call to make — even if Giddey goes on to have a solid career with the Bulls.

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Alex Caruso to Thunder voted as 2nd-best offseason move in ESPN survey

Alex Caruso to Thunder voted as 2nd-best offseason move in ESPN survey.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had a productive offseason headlined by the additions of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso.

Both veterans are immediate fixes and add depth to OKC’s rotation. The Thunder enter the 2024-25 season as heavy title favorites. After a first-seed finish last year, expect them to be in that conversation for the foreseeable future.

The Thunder’s addition of Caruso was highlighted in ESPN’s survey of 18 NBA coaches, scouts and executives to gauge what everybody thought of the offseason.

It was voted the second-best offseason move behind Paul George’s arrival to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Thunder acquired Caruso from the Chicago Bulls for Josh Giddey in a rare player-for-player swap.

“Getting him without giving up a pick is crazy,” an East scout told ESPN.

Caruso will likely take over Giddey’s starting spot next season. The 30-year-old is off two straight seasons of All-Defensive honors and is a 3-and-D player who will benefit from OKC’s system.

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Canada vs. Australia men’s basketball: How to watch, broadcast info for 2024 Olympics

Canada vs. Australia men’s basketball: How to watch, broadcast info for 2024 Olympics.

The 2024 Olympics have kicked off in France. This means that group play for the Men’s Basketball tournament has started.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will have a pair of representatives during the international tournament. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort are part of Team Canada. It is in Group A with Spain, Greece and Australia.

Canada will face off against Australia as it continues its group play schedule. It picked up a close win over Greece on Saturday led by Gilgeous-Alexander to start 1-0.

This will be the first time Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey square off since the latter was traded to the Chicago Bulls earlier this offseason. Giddey was a starter in OKC for three seasons.

Here’s when you should tune in to see the game:

  • Date: Tuesday, July 30
  • Time: 6:30 a.m. CT
  • TV Channel: NBC, Peacock
  • Live Stream: Fubo (watch for free)

Each squad will play three games against the other three teams in their group. A win equals two points, a loss equals one point and a forfeit equals no points.

The top two teams in all three groups advance to the quarterfinals. The two best third-place squads will also advance. Head-to-head will be used as the tiebreaker.

The eight remaining teams will be in a random drawing to determine a single-elimination tournament to crown the winner. The semifinal winners will face off for gold while the semifinal losers will face off for bronze.

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2024 Olympics provide first chance to see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey square off

2024 Olympics provide first chance to see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey square off.

The 2024 Olympics has kicked off, which means group play for the Men’s Basketball tournament will soon begin.

Most Oklahoma City Thunder fans will root for a second squad beyond the hometown Team USA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort hope to carry Canada’s momentum from its bronze medal finish last year at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Gilgeous-Alexander is the face of the program. The 26-year-old is one of the best players in the league and is fresh off a runner-up finish in MVP last season. Canada will go as far as he takes it.

Canada must survive group play first though — which is no easy task. It is placed in the toughest group with Australia, Spain and Greece. Gilgeous-Alexander will face off against the three other squads in the coming days.

The headliner of the group phase for Thunder fans will be when Canada and Australia face off on Tuesday, July 30.

The international contest provides the first chance for Gilgeous-Alexander and former teammate Josh Giddey to square off as opponents. The latter was shipped to the Chicago Bulls earlier this offseason after three seasons in OKC.

The 21-year-old struggled to adjust to an off-ball role last season. He was eventually benched in the NBA playoffs. In Chicago, he returns to a primary ball-handler role that best suits his strengths.

After sharing a backcourt for three years, both players enter the 2024 Olympics as the face of their respective programs. They will likely match up for most of the contest together.

It’ll be fun for Thunder fans to see Gilgeous-Alexander and Giddey duke it out in this high-stakes setting. The former’s ascension played a factor in the latter’s eventual departure.

Both players have come a long way from Gilgeous-Alexander’s infamous “Plan A/B” comments a few seasons ago.

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Report: Trae Young, Josh Giddey had interest in joining the San Antonio Spurs via trade

Both of course ended up with other fates in store for them.

Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young and former Oklahoma City wing Josh Giddey had interest in joining the San Antonio Spurs earlier this offseason via trade, according to recent reports. According to a recent article by Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, both Young and Giddey had spent some time thinking about changing their team to a Texas-based one.

Per Fischer, “Trae Young — who had the Spurs on his wishlist of next teams, … if (he) had moved this summer —  (and) Josh Giddey … also held an interest in joining San Antonio,” though the former ultimately ended up staying with the Hawks, who moved former Spur Dejounte Murray instead.

Giddey, too, ended up elsewhere ultimately. He was sent to the Chicago Bulls in a deal that still ended up drawing in the Spurs to pick up veteran forward Harrison Barnes from the Sacramento Kings on the cheap instead in a multi-team deal.

And while Chris Paul may not be the Spurs’ floor general of the future, he will be a great bridge to it — and perhaps that point guard is already on the roster anyway in rookie Stephon Castle.

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Mark Daigneault offers best wishes for Josh Giddey, Lindy Waters III

Mark Daigneault offers best wishes for Josh Giddey, Lindy Waters III.

Even though free agency hasn’t begun yet, there’s already been a roster shakeup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Two notable players who’ve been in OKC for years have been moved in recent weeks.

Josh Giddey was shipped to the Chicago Bulls. The 21-year-old asked out after he refused to come off the bench next season. He now gets a fresh start as a primary ball-handler.

The Thunder also traded Lindy Waters III to the Golden State Warriors in the first of several draft moves to add Ajay Mitchell with the No. 38 selection of the 2024 NBA draft.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has close relationships with both players as they’ve been in OKC for the past three seasons. The Coach of the Year winner offered his best wishes to both individuals.

“I want to thank Josh and Lindy,” Daigneault said. “Obviously, we made those transactions recently since the last time I talked to you. Both great ambassadors for the program. Had a great impact on the program.”

Daigneault noted  — despite how extremely volatile last season — Giddey helped the Thunder ascend into a contender in the last three years as a starter.

“Josh was a high pick. Somebody that started his career with us,” Daigneault said. “Had a lot of production and a lot of influence over our playstyle and outcomes over the last couple of years.”

In terms of Waters III, Daigneault said he worked his butt off to be an undrafted two-way player to cheap depth for the Warriors, who picked up his $2.2 million option.

“And Lindy is a great program guy,” Daigneault said. “To take a guy that was basically a tryout player with the Blue and worked his way all the way through the program to the point where he’s now an NBA player teams want to trade for is aggressive.”

As the Thunder turn into contenders, expect roster turnover to be high. The only mainstays will be the trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.

“We’re going to miss those guys,” Daigneault said. “We’re incredibly grateful for the contributions they had.”

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