When the Chicago Bulls traded defensive anchor Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey last summer, the move raised eyebrows across the league.
Caruso had become a fan favorite in Chicago, known for his relentless energy and elite perimeter defense. Giddey, by contrast, was coming off an uneven season in Oklahoma City, where he struggled to carve out a consistent role in a crowded backcourt.
Off-court issues further clouded his development. Yet, in hindsight, the Bulls may have engineered one of the shrewdest deals of the year.
After the All-Star break, Giddey emerged as a legitimate star. Over the final stretch of the regular season, the 22-year-old averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game — consistently flirting with triple-doubles.
His blend of size, vision and rebounding at the guard position has re-energized Chicago’s offense, injecting a level of creativity and pace it sorely lacked.
Statistically, the 22-year-old has been among the league’s elite since mid-February. His 177 assists since the All-Star break rank 10th in the NBA, while his 204 rebounds over that span are the third most among guards, trailing only Luka Doncic and Josh Hart.
He finished the season with seven triple-doubles, joining Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen as the only players in franchise history to record at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in a single campaign.
