The Bulls were offered as many as two first-round picks for Alex Caruso prior to the 2024 trade deadline, sources confirmed to Jamal Collier of ESPN. Instead, Chicago traded Caruso to Oklahoma City over the summer in a one-for-one swap for fourth-year point guard Josh Giddey in a move that resulted in some outside criticism for the front office.
As Collier details, the Bulls preferred to acquire an established NBA player instead of future draft assets because they want to avoid a full-fledged roster tear-down. They also envision Giddey as a key part of a new-look roster built to employ a run-and-gun style.
“(Giddey) plays exactly how we want to play,” Bulls general manager Marc Eversley told ESPN.
Entering Friday’s action, the Bulls ranked first in the NBA in pace (105.22 possessions for game) and had significantly increased their three-point rate since last season, launching 42.2 attempts per game, good for third in the league. By comparison, the 2023/24 Bulls finished 26th with 32.1 three-point attempts per contest.
“We don’t run, we’re done,” head coach Billy Donovan told his team last month. “It’s that simple. If we run, we’ll have some fun.”
Here’s more on the Bulls:
- Chicago’s roster moves haven’t translated to on-court success so far this season. The team has a 3-6 record and has struggled defensively. Still, Giddey believes there’s a good foundation in place to build upon, per Collier. “We’ve got pieces,” Giddey said. “It’s not like we’re starting from scratch. It’s a really talented group and whether that’s the first week or the 15th, or somewhere in between, we’ll be where we’re meant to be. We are all buying into what we’re trying to do here.”
- The Bulls are still expected to explore the trade market in search of takers for veterans Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic later this season, Collier reports. For now, the focus is on rebuilding the duo’s value following a disappointing 2023/24 campaign. Both players are benefiting from Giddey’s play-making so far — Vucevic’s 58.1% field goal percentage would be a career high, while LaVine’s 49.5% mark would be the second-highest rate of his career.
- According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (video link), he recently asked an NBA general manager what sort of price he’d pay to acquire Vucevic. The GM responded that he’d give up “a couple of” second-round picks. Fischer adds that trading Vucevic during the season is probably more realistic for the Bulls than finding a viable in-season deal for LaVine.