The Chicago Bulls received a lot of criticism when they traded Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey, but the move is paying off so far. Giddey is better-equipped to be the Bulls' centerpiece than Caruso ever was, and his drastic improvement since arriving in Chicago has put him on a star trajectory. Although the Bulls got a lot of flak for not receiving any draft picks in return for Caruso, Giddey is now worth more than the picks they could have had instead.
Josh Giddey keeps improving and proving the doubters wrong
Giddey has progressed significantly as an offensive engine since the Bulls traded for him. His playmaking has remained stellar as always, but his scoring has taken a clear leap. Both Giddey's outside shooting and his rim finishing have improved as he establishes himself as the Bulls' star point guard.
Last season, Giddey started slowly before going on an incredible hot streak to end the year, and led the Bulls to a play-in berth. His sudden spike in shooting was considered unsustainable, but he is maintaining it this season. Through four games, Giddey is shooting 42.9 percent from three. He's quickly becoming an off-ball threat that defenses can't ignore, which makes life easier for his teammates.
Giddey has also improved his scoring inside the arc by getting more physical on his drives. This has earned him more free throws, and boosted his overall finishing. Giddey is a big guard at 6-foot-8 and has all the tools to be a good finisher if he plays with the right physicality and aggressiveness. It's all coming together for a career-high 19.5 points per game so far.
The Bulls are off to an undefeated start, and Giddey should receive plenty of credit for leading the team. Chicago's defense has arguably been better than their offense, and Giddey has taken strides there. He's given more effort on defense and played his role well enough for his teammates to make winning defensive plays.
The Thunder had a treasure trove of draft picks, which the Bulls could have haggled out of them instead of only Giddey. But many of those picks are now being conveyed as late first-rounders, and the Thunder have even had to trade some of their selections away without much opportunity. NBA fans tend to romanticize the idea of a first-round draft pick without considering that many of the later ones don't always pan out.
Josh Giddey is not the perfect player, but he is a great fit for the young Bulls. His playmaking allows other young studs like Matas Buzelis to develop more quickly and elevates the team as a whole. And his contributions on the court have already been more valuable than the return from 2-3 late first-round picks would likely fetch.