Oklahoma City Thunder GM claims Josh Giddey didn't want to come off the bench, leading to trade

On Friday, Chicago Bulls and Thunder agreed to send Josh Giddey to Chicago and Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City, with the Thunder approving the 21-year-old Giddey's trade request after he refused to play off the bench. Giddey, a 6-foot-8 point guard from Australia, is getting a fresh start after a difficult season in which his stats fell and he lost his starting role in the postseason.

In a statement, Thunder general manager Sam Presti told Josh Giddey after the season that the organization planned to use him as a reserve in 2024-25 "to maximize his many talents and deploy our team more efficiently over 48 minutes."

As per AP News, “As we laid out to Josh how he could lean into his strengths and ultimately optimize our current roster and talent, it was hard to for him to envision, and conversations turned to him inquiring about potential opportunities elsewhere,” Presti said. “As always was the case, Josh demonstrated the utmost professionalism throughout the discussions.”

The Thunder finished 57-25 to claim the top spot in the Western Conference but fell to Dallas in the conference playoffs. Giddey was routinely booed on the road this season after an anonymous social media user accused him of having an inappropriate interaction with an underage female, prompting investigations by authorities in Newport Beach, California, and the NBA. Newport Beach police concluded their investigation in January, stating that officers were "unable to confirm any criminal activity." The NBA ultimately dropped its investigation.

Josh Giddey named in Australian national squad for Olympics

Giddey was the sixth overall pick in 2021 and earned the All-Rookie Second Team. He is a part of the Australian national squad, who will compete at the Paris Olympics this summer. He is an excellent passer, and his stature makes him an effective rebounder.

In his second season, Giddey averaged 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists; but, in 2023–24, his numbers dropped to 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. The second half of the season saw Giddey's play go up with Oklahoma City Thunder's acquisition of Gordon Hayward. In April, Giddey shot 57.2% from the field and averaged 16.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.