No one regrets their offseason choice more than the Thunder’s Josh Giddey

The Oklahoma City Thunder traded Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso in a shocking offseason deal. The 22-year-old wanted to be transferred after learning he would be coming off the bench for Oklahoma City. Giddey struggled in the playoffs and felt it was time to find a new home. The Thunder got an elite role player and were happy to oblige Giddey’s request.

The 1.80 meter tall guard is a unique talent. He was the sixth overall pick in the 2021 draft. Giddey is an elite rebounder and oversized playmaker. His lack of shooting ability and questionable defense made him difficult to keep on the field in the postseason, but he has plenty of untapped potential. Giddey wanted to remain a starter and continue to play significant minutes.

Things haven’t gone as planned since I arrived in Chicago. Although he was in the starting lineup, he didn’t play any significant minutes and wasn’t paid. It leaves him with an uncertain future and a lot of regret over how he handled the Thunder.

Chicago knew he wanted to start and had turned down major offers for Caruso. This move seemed to make Giddey a key part of the Bulls’ core, but this offseason both teams failed to reach an extension. The 22-year-old will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2025. Chicago can match any offer, but they clearly weren’t willing to pay him as a key piece of their future.

Giddey started in each of their first 18 games, but is sixth on the Bulls with 27.3 minutes per game. Chicago has a crowded backcourt with Zach LaVine, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu playing more than Giddey early on. He’s a starter but plays a similar role to Oklahoma City. Giddey isn’t always part of the closing lineup and isn’t in the franchise’s top five in minutes.

The Thunder are in first place in the Western Conference and have endured a period of time without their top two centers. Chet Holmgren won’t return until 2025, but Isaiah Hartenstein is back and making a huge impact. OKC is projected to have the best record in the West and is the favorite to advance to the NBA Finals.

Josh Giddey could help them, but starts on a 7-11 team and is fighting for a spot in the play-in tournament. The Bulls aren’t a serious contender, but will likely push in the postseason. That could mean fewer minutes for Giddey as they prefer LaVine and White on offense. Giddey has the size to stay on the floor but doesn’t fit into an off-ball role. Ayo Dosunmu is the superior defender and often finds his way into the final groups.

Are the Chicago Bulls keeping Josh Giddey? There are questions. The 22-year-old has tons of potential, but he needs to play better on both sides. Making shots, being effective without the ball and improving his defense are crucial to his development.

He could have played a similar role on the best team in the West, but instead demanded a move to a team that might not even make the play-in stage in the East. The Oklahoma City Thunder are moving on as things didn’t go as planned for Giddey in the Windy City. The grass wasn’t greener for the 22-year-old as he faces the same problems in a worse team.