Last summer, the Bulls front office went all in on a deal that signaled the start of a new era in Chicago, sending two-time All-Defensive guard Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for 21-year-old elite playmaker, Josh Giddey. The trade became more significant than it appeared at the time. It was the Bulls’ first player-for-player deal since 2021, when they sent Lauri Markkanen to Cleveland in exchange for Derrick Jones Jr. and a protected first-round pick.
Fast forward one year, and the benefits of the trade are already starting to show. Giddey looked far more comfortable in a system that allowed him to be the primary ball handler, and by the second half of the 2024-25 season, he was playing at an All-Star level.