The Oklahoma City Thunder are long known to make surprising albeit understandable moves for the roster. With that being said, their decision to trade Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso still blindsided everyone.
Giddey, despite all of the off-court drama he dealt with, still managed to put on a solid season for the team that drafted him sixth overall in the 2021 Draft. However, Caruso’s defensive and playmaking chops make him a more than worthy replacement for the Australian.
While fans have various reactions on Giddey’s departure from OKC, one of his now-former teammates decided to give him a tribute in his own small way.
Chet Holmgren honors Josh Giddey after the Oklahoma City Thunder traded him to the Chicago Bulls
Holmgren took to social media to share his reaction when Giddey was traded to the Bulls.
In his reaction, the 7’1″ rookie reposted Giddey’s photo of the two during the 2022 Summer League, where they wowed the crowd with their dominating performances.
The post’s caption didn’t have any words, but it showed his honest thoughts on Giddey’s departure: “💙🤍🧡🤞🏼”
Oklahoma City Thunder fans will remember that Holmgren may have had a rocky relationship with Giddey, especially considering his recent social media activity. However, the post may be an olive branch extended to Giddey that aims to bury whatever issues they may have had in the locker room.
The trade also served as a reminder for Holmgren and the rest of the young Thunder squad that the NBA is still a business, and GM Sam Presti is more than willing to make moves that will improve the roster, regardless of any personal connections.
Will Josh Giddey thrive in Chicago?
Now that the trade is done, fans are now speculating on how the teams involved will perform.
Caruso is filling a specific need, so there’s no question that he’ll become a terrific fit for Mark Daigneault’s squad. The question now lies on whether Giddey has what it takes to thrive in Chicago.
One of the biggest weaknesses of the Bulls is playmaking. While DeMar DeRozan and Coby White shared responsibilities as the team’s primary facilitators, there’s no true PG who can orchestrate the offense the same way Giddey does.
He’ll be a solid fit for the Bulls as he’s shown a knack for making great passes. He averaged 12.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists last season while not being the team’s primary ballhandler. You can expect these numbers to rise once he’s plugged in as the team’s primary PG.
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