Just days after the NBA season ended, the offseason got off to a wild start.
The Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder struck a trade on Thursday, swapping guards Alex Caruso and Josh Giddey, according to ESPN.
This trade gives the Thunder one of the premier two-way guards, as Caruso has established himself as a solid role player with Chicago.
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The move came as quite a surprise, and it was an emotional time for Caruso’s girlfriend, Haleigh Broucher.
“So so many emotions at once. So proud of this man and so excited for this next journey #thunderup,” she posted on her Instagram story with a photoshopped picture of her boyfriend in a Thunder jersey.
“I want to say how amazing the Bulls organization has been, how hard everyone works behind the scenes, and how grateful I am for all of the friends I’ve made along the way. I truly cherish each and every one of them and will miss them terrible. Excited for a new chapter and grateful for the old,” she wrote.
“Love you guys forever. And I’ll see you on another court.”
Caruso is especially known for his skills on the defensive side of the ball, being named a two-time All-Defensive team honoree in his seven NBA seasons. He made second-team All-Defensive last season after averaging 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.
Caruso, an NBA champion in 2020 during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, averaged a career-high 10.1 points last season with 3.5 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game over 71 contests (57 starts).
The 30-year-old joins a budding group of stars, including point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and forward Chet Holmgren, that can clearly make another run in the West next season.
On the other side of the trade, the 21-year-old Giddey showed similar promise on both ends of the floor, as he has triple-double potential every time he touches the hardwood.
Caruso is eligible for a four-year, $80 million contract extension six months from now. He will be entering the final year of his deal, and ESPN says the Thunder made the deal hoping they can keep him long-term.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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