Welcome to Around The Realm, where we discuss stories from around the NBA.
Alex Caruso traded to the Thunder
The Chicago Bulls are trading Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. This is a huge move for the Thunder, as Caruso is a defensive and shooting upgrade over Giddey.
BREAKING: The Chicago Bulls are trading two-time All-Defensive guard Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for guard Josh Giddey, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/V3t12MA3Uo
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2024
Giddey became a bit of a liability in the playoffs, and wasn’t a fit with the Thunder’s future core. He’s still just 21 years old, and is a gifted passer. He also comes with off-court baggage, despite being officially cleared of allegations last season.
This trade is interesting for the Kings, since just yesterday we were hearing about trade talks between the Bulls and Kings that could involve Caruso.
Lakers hire JJ
The Los Angeles Lakers finally ended their coaching search, settling on JJ Redick after being spurned by Dan Hurley.
ESPN Sources: JJ Redick has agreed on a four-year contract to become the next coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Rob Pelinka offered job this morning and Redick’s started working on a staff to surround himself with experience. pic.twitter.com/G66eVFRALp
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2024
Personally, I’m a big fan of NBA teams hiring podcasters to lucrative coaching contracts.
Pistons fired Monty
The Detroit Pistons fired Monty Williams on Wednesday, despite Monty still being owed 5 years and $65 million.
ESPN Sources: After one season, the Detroit Pistons have dismissed coach Monty Williams — who leaves with five years and $65M-plus left on his deal. New President Trajan Langdon will move to make his own coaching hire now. pic.twitter.com/QHKivQS5o2
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 19, 2024
It’s a crazy move to fire a coach who is owed so much money, but I applaud Pistons ownership for allowing new President Trajan Langdon to operate the team without watching the purse strings.
I like this trade for both teams. OKC is loading up to push for the Finals next season. I think this is the first of a few moves for them this offseason. As for CHI, this is the type of trade they should have been making for I don’t know how many years now. When you’re stuck in mediocrity, trade your vets to take flyers on young players.
With Caruso being traded, I’d say it makes it much less likely the Kings trade for Lavine, which I consider to be a good thing.
JJ “Douchebag Podcaster” Reddick to the Fakers, what could possibly go wrong? I’d say this is a positive for the rest of the West.
Monty Williams is just going to keep cashing them checks. Maybe Coach Brown can bring him on board as an assistant.
Monty should have a ski mask. He took the job for the cash, sucked at his job enough to get fired, and still gets paid.
Am I misremembering or wasn’t he quoted as saying he wasn’t going to take the gig, but the Pistons simply offered too much money for him to decline.
Probably
I was going to post something similar about how I was thinking it might affect Lavine talks. Like you, I hope it means no trade for Lavine.
I honestly don’t know how a LaVine and Caruso trade would have happened. The Kings would have had to send 4-5 players back in matching salary.
This seems to be a reoccurring theme for The Kings. Not making any deals. Not moving anyone. Not having enough etc
Not sure if Vivek is handcuffing them or Monte has royalty screwed up (not) acquiring assets?
The whole idea that they thought what they had last year was good enough is a joke.
Being patient? Whatever it is the Kings had better adjust now or they are gonna continue their backslide. It’s frustrating to watch.
Patiently riding out their only mediocre two years in the last two decades.
It’s just one offseason trade with a whole lot of league-wide movement still to come. I was all about seeing if we could pick up Caruso but someone pointed out the redundancy with Keon, which makes sense.
Monte can’t just roll it back again next year. I trust that he knows that.
The Kings problem is they are in love with mediocrity. Every player is needed and untradeable. Keon cannot go anywhere because he surged. Fox is fast. Barnes is the only smart player on the team. Huerter is a great shooter. Keegan has so much potential. The G league bench is on the way up.
All the while everyone else gets better.
The only person that should be untradeable is Sabonis.
George Karl’d
If Monk walks, I’d be intrigued by Lavine for Duarte, Sasha, Mitchell & Huerter.
Fox
Lavine/Keon
Murray/Jones
HB/Lyles
Sabonis/Len
You’d essentially dump all the salary tied up in backups for a secondary scoring/playmaking option to help replace Monk’s production. The team isn’t better (if Monk walks for nothing that’s just something we’ll have to accept), but at least you’d have consolidated salaries into better talent. With this scenario, Lavine’s contract is palatable since it’s less than what you would’ve paid Monk+the outgoing players, anyway. You’d still have more or less the same cap flexibility and all your draft picks to make additional moves.
This is a break-in-case-of-emergency option should Monk leave (under all circumstances resigning Monk is the priority), but it doesn’t seem like a terrible fallback option. Maybe you could even strong arm the Bulls to throw in a pick or two.
I think OKC won that trade hands down. They gave away a guy that they could’t play in the playoffs because he’s a defensive liability and can’t hit from three for a guy who is an all league defender and can hit from three. I’m stunned that the Bulls didn’t get draft capital in the deal.
I agree. Big win for OKC. Just imagine if they had Caruso in the series against the Mavs to help neautralize Irving. Would have made a big difference. OKC is going to be scary next season, people already foget they were the number one seed.
Soon to be 31, with his defensive rating trending up, I’m guessing there was probably some reservation about giving up a FRP for him.
The DefRTG was because he’s been playing on shitty Bulls teams. Now he’s gonna be sharing the floor with Dort and Chet. OKC is going to be very good.
Hope JJ sucks.
Giddy was regressing. Caruso will help them and help their D.
This puts LaVine alone on an island as Caruso cannot be used as bait to take on Zach’s contract.
Bulls will go into dismantle mode now I expect.
can Kings pick up Zach for zip?
Pelicans reportedly offered BI to the Rockets for Sengun, which of course the Rockets declined. So, I’m guessing in a potential trade with the Kings, they’d want KM, which would be a hard no IMO.
Well to be fair, they should ask for the best possible return from their perspective. They might then negotiate if there is any interest in adding the player being offered, regardless of what they were asking; that is where GMs earn their money.
In regards to BI, there is no reason to offer the Pels anything of value, the Pels aren’t going to re-sign him. BI wants $50M/yr and he’s at best a 2nd/3rd best player on a contending team, maybe worth $35M/yr, but if he’d accept that then NO would re-sign him. I hope the Kings stay far away from BI.
If it were up to me, I’d offer a package to HOU built around 2 FRPs for Tari Eason. Especially if the Rockets take Risacher or another wing on draft night as the Tari is already the 4th Forward behind Brooks, Jabari, Amen, and Whitmore, they could also retain Tate. I can’t imagine HOU turning down 2 FRPs for a backup forward and I think he slots right into the starting PF slot between Murray & Domas.
I really really like Tari Eason. Great alongside Sabonis. See what you can do Monty,
Is Tari Eason really worth 2 FRP? Kings need talent and size. They can probably get BI on the cheap
I think Eason is a better fit than BI and much cheaper and while I don’t know if Eason is valued at 2 FRPs, but I do think that is close to what it would take. I also believe it is in line with the team’s timeline and would be a good use of 2 FRPs (say this years and the next one available after ATL gets theirs) as I’d rather get the PF position filled now with a tough, long, athletic 23yr old who can space the floor.
IMO, the production vs cost (in both terms of draft assets spent and salary) is better with Eason than just about anyone else who might realistically available.
Honestly, no. One first-rounder is fair, maybe some seconds, but that’s it. Giving up two firsts ties your flexibility into knots for years, and while I like Eason, it’s too high of a price.
I think you’re right about it objectively, maybe start the offer with a 1st and a trio of 2nds, but I’d be willing to offer up two FRPs and then try to recoup some assets by trading HB and Huerter. I understand your valuation, but I think it might be worth it to get a better fit at PF in place now, versus worrying about what you might do with the picks 2-3 years from now.
Reddick will be head coach in name only. We all know who the real coach is.
It would be funny if another team drafts Bronny and the Real Coach leaves the Lakers and joins his son. It would be a complete dumpster fire in La La Land under the stewardship of a coach with no experience.
After yesterday’s report, it seems Bronny != a guarantee that LeBron is coming along for the ride.
Bronny?
Gotta bring in a new scapegoat when it inevitably goes to shit because we all know it can’t possibly be Pelinka or Bron’s fault
Caruso’s career averages are all a tick below 7/3/3. Not a difference maker IMO.
wut.
Tony Allen’s career average is 8/3/1 but I guess 6 all defensive teams makes him “not a difference maker.”
Caruso is arguably a top 10 defensive player in the league. That speaks for itself.
I can’t think of a single way that Chicago is a better team now than they were a day ago. If the Bulls don’t flip Giddey in another swap, the league should take over operation of the franchise.
“Who would you rather have on your team, Alex Caruso, or Josh Giddey?”
[Literally no one] “Josh Giddey!
Right? And it’s not like Caruso is a pending free agent. He’s got another year, just like Giddey, with full Bird Rights. His next year is even partially guaranteed!
Don’t Bird Rights get wiped once you swap teams?
no- Bird stays with you
Caruso wants 20 M per year after this year and OKC seems to be willing to pay that.
Seems like you can have one defensive minded player on the floor at any one time- conversely, can’t have more than one limited offensive player on the floor at one time. OKC can get away from this because Dort has become an offensive threat.
I think OKC got the best in this deal. They have so many future picks, why didn’t Bulls get one or two?
Monk issues: Detroit has no coach, not a good place to go. Orlando is strongly considering signing Fultz as a RFA- one less guard slot (Suggs, Black, Fultz, Anthony) and 3 of their players are coming up for big extensions. And they seem to want klank. Good, do all that and leave Malik alone.
SAS- looking to draft point guards. Philly- already has Maxey.
In the draft, someone will drop as Carter, TDS, Carlton might all move up above #13. I would trade the dropping one to a team that covets him, move down above #28 and get Holmes + the assets.
Caruso, SGA, Dort, Wallace, and Williams is a pretty fearsome rotation of perimeter defenders. Don’t worry though because once you get past them you just have to score around *checks notes* Chet Holmgren.
Anyways, congrats to JJ Reddick for what will inevitably become a 1 year/$30+ million deal for his first coaching gig.
Caruso was the bridge in the Lavine deal
Chicago are not taking our excess players straight up for Lavine, there is nothing it in for them.
We weren’t giving up 13 or other picks for Lavine only…
there goes the Lavine deal
Nothing in it for the Kings. The Kings wanted Caruso, not LaVine. At this point, nobody wants LaVine.
If Monk walks, the Kings might reconsider.
Not saying it’s going to happen, but Barnes / Huerter for LaVine is a legal trade that would save the Bulls roughly $10m this season, $10m next season, and almost $50m in three seasons.
My guess is that a team like the Sixers or Dubs or Lakers figure out a way to take LaVine on, but if the Bulls are looking to reduce payroll & cut a borderline albatross contract into a smaller sum of to workable contracts, the Kings provide a path.
Woj says Monk re-signing, 4/$78m.
Badge Legend