How the Chicago Bulls got fleeced in the Alex Caruso trade

After years of doing nothing, the Chicago Bulls finally made a trade, sending Alex Caruso to the OKC Thunder in a straight-up exchange for Josh Giddey. 

I have to say, the more I think about this trade, the more I hate it for the Bulls, who clearly waited too long and missed their opportunity to get a better return for a two-time All-Defensive guard. 

I would go as far as to say the Bulls got fleeced, a common occurrence when dealing with Sam Presti, who doesn’t have a young, talented team with a million assets because he’s bad at his job. 

In typical Bulls’ fashion, they waited too long for no reason and had to take pennies on the dollar. But could this eventually work out for the Bulls? 

The Chicago Bulls could have had more 

It is now a fact that the Bulls could have taken a couple of first-round picks for Caruso, including the 10th in this draft. Those assets could have been used to start a youth movement for real or to package in a trade to move up or to grab proven players. 

Instead, the Bulls got a controversial player who, like Caruso, only has one year left on his deal. Giddey could end up being a rental and leave after next season, leaving Chicago nothing in return for Caruso. 

The worst part is that the Bulls weren’t able to get a single pick from OKC, a team that has so many picks there is no way they can even use them all. They have five in the first round of the 2025 draft alone and the Bulls couldn’t get one of them? Couldn’t get a second rounder? Are you telling me there wasn’t a team out there willing to offer at least one pick?  Arturas Karnisovas continues his tradition of making bad trades.

It was a crime of asset management by the Bulls, who should have traded Caruso at the deadline if they were going to do it. Giddey is nothing more than a young wildcard, who could end up being good, but could also be a going the other direction.