Bulls PG Josh Giddey welcomed trade over backup role in OKC
Tue Jun 25 4:21pm ET
Field Level Media
New Bulls point guard Josh Giddey touched down briefly in Chicago on Sunday and was formally introduced on Tuesday before he embarks on his next mission with the Australian national team at the Summer Olympics.
Giddey, 21, was acquired on Friday in a one-for-one trade for Alex Caruso to be given a chance to fill the point guard role the Bulls envisioned Lonzo Ball filling the past several seasons.
Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti said the deal came about when the Thunder approached him about running the second unit.
"At this point in my career, I'm 21 years old, it wasn't something I was overly eager to do. I said to him, 'Look, at this point in my career it's not something I'm trying to do,'" Giddey said at his introductory press conference.
It's a new start for Giddey, who said he understands the Bulls are heavily armed with guard options and is willing to compete for his role.
"I haven't asked -- I focused on getting here and getting focused," Giddey said. "My job is just to make the game easy for everyone else. ... That's kind of how I see myself, making basketball and the game easier for those around me."
Giddey, the No. 6 pick in the 2021 draft, was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a minor in Newport Beach, Calif., but authorities and the NBA said they were unable to corroborate any allegations of criminal activity and closed the case in January. Asked how the matter impacted him last season, Giddey declined to comment on "anything regarding that situation."
With a shifting role in Oklahoma City, where is role changed from his first two years, Giddey said he didn't adapt quickly to playing off the ball in deference to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
"It was just a year of adjusting and learning different things," Giddey said.
Giddey said he's thought about a contract extension a lot in the past year but understands the trade might change his expectations. He's not planning to force the issue as he becomes eligible for a new contract before the season.
Ball has missed all but 35 games since a sign-and-trade deal brought him to the Bulls from the New Orleans Pelicans in 2021. While he sounded optimistic in May about playing again this season, Ball hasn't been fully cleared medically.
Giddey averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game in 2023-24. In 210 career games, he averaged 13.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists with the Thunder. He said a flip switched in his mind entering the offseason that he needs to make sure he's ready to go defensively to avoid a diminished role in the postseason.
While he's in Paris with the Australian team, Giddey said he will be in contact with Bulls coach Billy Donovan and others to make sure he has the best understanding of his role and the system when he arrives at training camp.
"We haven't spoke style yet. Style of play, roles, all of those things we haven't discussed," Giddey said.
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The Pistons declined the team option on guard Evan Fournier. He is now heading toward unrestricted free agency. The 31-year-old began the 2023-24 campaign with the Knicks. However, he appeared in only three games for New York before being moved ahead of the trade deadline. Fournier suited up in 29 games for the Pistons, and he finished the year by averaging 7.2 points and 1.9 assists. He was due to make $19 million had Detroit kept him, so this move wasn't surprising. Still, Fournier will likely find work elsewhere in the National Basketball Association, although he probably won't see much action, considering his production has declined significantly over the last few seasons.
The Hawks acquired guard Dyson Daniels (along with Larry Nance Jr., EJ Liddell, and two first-round picks) from the Pelicans in exchange for Dejounte Murray. While the departure of Murray means Atlanta lost an All-Star-caliber superstar, the Hawks received an up-and-coming player in Daniels, who has shown flashes of promise since entering the league in 2022. He finished last season by averaging 5.8 points, 2.7 assists, and 1.4 steals. However, he was limited to 61 contests after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee, resulting in surgery. With that in mind, if Daniels gets consistent minutes and avoids the injury report, it's reasonable to assume he could at least double his scoring average from last season.
The Hawks acquired forward Larry Nance Jr. from the Pelicans as a part of the trade that sent Dejounte Murray to New Orleans. Nance began his career with the Los Angeles Lakers and made stops in Cleveland and Portland before landing in New Orleans. Since his most productive season with the Cavs in 2019-20, his statistical contributions have declined over the years, and he finished the 2023-24 campaign by averaging just 5.7 points and 5.0 rebounds. Nance will likely play sparingly this season, so he won't draw much attention from fantasy managers. Also included in Friday's trade, the Hawks receive EJ Liddell, Dyson Daniels, and two first-round picks.
Miami Heat guard Josh Richardson picked up his $3 million player option on Friday. The veteran's production has declined over the last few years, and he finished the 2023-24 campaign by averaging 9.9 points while shooting 34.7% from behind the arc, one of the lowest percentages of his career. Even worse, he was limited to just 43 games due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. Richardson's production likely won't improve in 2024-25, considering he's not expected to be a regular in Erik Spoelstra's rotation.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Hawks traded guard Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans in exchange for Larry Nance Jr., E.J. Liddell, Dyson Daniels, and two first-round picks. The backcourt pairing of Murray and Trae Young didn't work, so the 27-year-old will head to New Orleans, a team hoping to re-enter the championship conversation. Murray finished last season by averaging a career-high 22.5 points with 6.4 assists, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. Without question, he's an All-Star caliber player, and his fantasy value should improve even more if he becomes New Orleans' primary ballhandler in 2024-25. While Murray's shooting percentages aren't the best, category managers will still get a reliable fantasy asset, even more so since he's played at least 74 games in each of the last two seasons.
Charlotte Hornets guard Seth Curry has been waived by the organization on Friday. The Hornets decided Curry wasn't worth the $4 million deal, but have expressed interest in bringing back the veteran guard. It's hard to imagine Curry returning to Charlotte as he'll likely want to play for a more competitive organization considering he's at the back-end of his career. The 33-year-old is a viable three-point shooter but doesn't offer much value outside of that.
Los Angeles Clippers forward P.J. Tucker has accepted his $11.5 million player option for next season. This seems like a no-brainer for Tucker who probably wasn't going to get a better offer in free agency. The 39-year-old is still a reliable defender, but Tucker doesn't offer much upside on the offensive end of the ball. He'll didn't offer much fantasy value with the Clippers last season. He'll probably have a similar role with the team again, which minutes he'll likely only see minutes in the teens. That being said, fantasy managers can ignore Tucker on draft day.
Indiana Pacers forward Jalen Smith is expected to decline his $5.4 million player option for the 2024 season. This doesn't come as a surprise considering Smith should be able to earn much more than that in free agency. Smith posted career highs in field goal percentage and three-point percentage last season. He took a solid step forward during his fourth season and should have no shortage of suitors this offseason. Smith should be able to produce reliable fantasy value with basically any organization.
Toronto Raptors forward Bruce Brown will stick with the organization after they've accepted his $23 million player option for the 2024 season. It's a little odd to see the Raptors bringing back Brown considering he was average at best during his time in Toronto last season. On a one-year deal, Brown should be a valuable trade asset if the Raptors decide to move him in the offseason or mid-season. His stats did decline in Toronto, but he should still have some fantasy value regardless of where he's playing.
Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul has agreed to push back the date to his $30 million guaranteed contract for the 2024-2025 season. The veteran guard will push back the date until late Sunday night. Doing that gives the Warriors a chance to explore trade partners for the All-Star guard. Paul certainly isn't in his prime anymore, but he can still contribute to an NBA roster. He should still be able to be a viable fantasy option depending on what team decides to pick him up.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram has been one of the bigger dominoes in the early goings of this offseason. At first, there were reports that the Pelicans were unlikely to offer him a max contract. Now, it seems the team is trying to get a deal done, but they are prepared to search the trade market if they don't get a deal done that is friendly for both sides. The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the teams interested in a trade as they search for a third star to pair with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Other teams mentioned are the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks, but they would have more hoops to jump through in terms of contract numbers. According to Jake Fischer, one team that could emerge as a trade suitor is the Sacramento Kings who are looking to upgrade from Kevin Huerter and Harrison Barnes.
Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson hasn't progressed with contract talks and the expectation is now that he's going to become an unrestricted free agent. According to Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic, two teams that are interested in the four-time champ are the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets. The Sixers have more cap space at the moment with over $60 million available and a whole team that they still have to construct. The Nuggets, on the other hand, have been shedding salary and don't seem likely to retain Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Thompson hasn't been the same impact player that he was before the major injuries, but his shooting and defense can still help a high-level team at this point.
Detroit Pistons guard Quentin Grimes will be moved to his third team in the same calendar year. As reported by Adrian Wojnarowski, the Pistons have agreed to trade him to the Dallas Mavericks for Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second-round picks. Grimes was moved to the Pistons from the New York Knicks before the trade deadline this year in the same deal that sent Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks to New York. Grimes is currently on an expiring deal, so it looks like the Mavericks made this move to shed salary, and it's unclear if Grimes will stay on the roster. This past season, he averaged 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game in 51 total appearances.
Dallas Mavericks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. is on his way to Detroit on Friday after the two sides agreed to a trade. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Hardaway and three second-round picks are going to the Pistons while Quentin Grimes is coming to Dallas. The veteran shooter was a mainstay in the team's offense over the last five seasons. When it came to their Finals run this season, Hardaway was relegated to the bench and saw the least amount of time on the court in his Dallas tenure. He played 12.7 minutes per contest throughout the playoffs and didn't get on the court at all at some points. During the regular season, he averaged 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.7 threes per game while shooting .402/.353/.852.
Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley has agreed to sign a new contract that will keep him in Toronto for the next five years. According to Shams Charania, the deal is worth $175 million for five years. Quickley was a restricted free agent and would have hit the free agency market if they couldn't get a deal done by June 30. Instead, the 25-year-old will be sticking around after being traded to the Raptors in the deal that sent OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks. Through 38 games last season, the Kentucky product averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 threes, and 1.8 turnovers per game. This contract solidifies Quickley as a cornerstone piece to the team along with Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett.
The Sacramento Kings traded point guard Davion Mitchell and forward Sasha Vezenkov to the Toronto Raptors for forward Jalen McDaniels on Thursday, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The trade gives the Kings some flexibility, opening up a roster spot. Mitchell was the No. 9 pick in 2021. Last season he averaged 5.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 15.3 minutes per game. Vezenkov averaged 5.4 points and 2.3 rebounds during his first season in the NBA. McDaniels averaged 3.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in his only season as a Raptor.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Atlanta Hawks traded forward AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets in exchange for the 44th pick of the NBA draft on Thursday. Griffin, a 2022 first-round pick out of Duke, had a limited role during his second year in Atlanta, averaging 2.4 points in 8.6 minutes across 20 outings coming off the bench. However, the 20-year-old spent the majority of the year in the G League or sidelined with an injured ankle. As a Rocket, Griffin will not make an impact in fantasy as he will have to battle for playing time.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is reportedly eager to remain on the team. "Brandon wants to stay here," said Pelicans president David Griffin during his post-draft availability. "He believes in what we're building. That's meaningful to us. It's meaningful to him. I think it's meaningful to his agent. At the same time, there's a financial reality that we all deal with." We could still see Ingram in a new uniform next season because the Pelicans aren't willing to offer him a max extension. He is eligible for a four-year, $208 million deal. Ingram's health issues -- he has played 60-plus games just three times since his rookie year -- and playoff struggles make him a risky investment for New Orleans.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler doesn't intend to sign an extension this year and plans to hit free agency next summer. According to NBA insider Shams Charania, Butler will not sign an extension with the Heat or any other team. Charania added that Butler is "determined" to have a big season in 2024-25 to earn himself a major payday. The six-time All-Star has two years remaining on his current contract but can opt out of it in 12 months' time. A highly motivated Butler should be an exciting sight for fantasy managers. He tends to cruise through the regular season but has been godly at times in the playoffs.
Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon might not remain on the team for long. After he was acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that Brogdon could be moved elsewhere in a trade. Washington has fully entered a rebuilding mode, and it doesn't make sense for them to keep ahold of a 31-year-old veteran. Especially someone like Brogdon, who should have decent trade value as a recent Sixth Man of the Year award winner. The Virginia product seems to be on the move every summer these days. But he could still be useful to several teams with career averages of 15.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.