There was a throwaway remark in Josh Giddey’s exit interview final week that didn’t generate headlines because the 21-year-old opened up about his “rollercoaster” third yr within the NBA.
It was a telling reminder that as a lot as Giddey struggled to reside as much as his potential with the Thunder this previous season, he’s nonetheless a really proficient participant.
This season was only a case of Giddey being the sufferer of circumstance, pressured to tackle a task that didn’t play to his strengths as new rising stars had been born in Oklahoma Metropolis.
“It’s a unique position,” Giddey stated when requested if suiting up for the Boomers on the upcoming Paris Olympics may assist him construct in direction of the 2024-25 NBA season.
“I’m going to have the ball in my palms much more with Australia, initiating the offence and setting guys up.
“That’s who I’m as a participant and to do this is thrilling.”
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That’s who Giddey is as a participant however it’s not who he was final season.
He performed extra off the ball because the accelerated improvement of Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren made Oklahoma Metropolis rethink the nucleus of its offensive identification.
Generally Giddey made the brand new position work. He scored 21 factors, together with 4-for-7 from three-point vary, because the Thunder took a 3-0 collection lead towards the Pelicans.
The month of March additionally gave Oklahoma Metropolis a glimpse of what Giddey’s ceiling may appear like when assured and comfy within the position. He averaged 16.3 factors, 7.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists.
For the Thunder, that stretch and the collection towards the Pelicans, together with Giddey’s first two seasons within the league when taking part in a extra ball-dominant position, present he nonetheless has some worth in Oklahoma Metropolis, particularly if Williams or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was to go down.
However with Giddey extension eligible this summer season, the query is how a lot he will likely be after and what kind of determine the Thunder will land on contemplating Williams and Holmgren can even quickly be extension eligible, whereas Gilgeous-Alexander is an excellent max candidate.
The opposite choice for Oklahoma Metropolis is to commerce Giddey this summer season to land a participant who’s a cleaner match on the roster.
With that in thoughts, foxsports.com.au appears to be like at 4 groups that could possibly be potential touchdown spots for Giddey ought to a commerce eventuate within the off season.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Match-wise, this looks like the perfect guess as a result of the Spurs want some extent guard the offence can run by way of.
Any potential touchdown spot for Giddey must encompass him with taking pictures.
Nevertheless, like many of the groups which have a necessity at level guard, the Spurs aren’t an ideal choice given they want shooters, too, having gone 34.7 per cent from three-point land previously season.
That ranked them third worst within the league, though the Spurs made the sixteenth most and tried the eleventh most, so there’s some extra context to that preliminary quantity that doesn’t make the state of affairs look as dangerous because it sounds.
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The broader level right here is that San Antonio wants a ball handler who can play with and get probably the most out of Victor Wembanyama.
Giddey could possibly be the larger playmaking guard to do exactly that for the Spurs, though they’ve additionally been linked with Atlanta’s Trae Younger and will contemplate a transfer for Darius Garland if Cleveland extends Donovan Mitchell.
San Antonio additionally has the fourth and eighth picks on this yr’s draft, which it may as a substitute use to pick some extent guard.
Giddey’s deficiencies as a shooter and in defence are additionally weaknesses any staff buying and selling for him would contemplate, however not less than at San Antonio it might be simpler to attempt conceal his flaws on the defensive finish with Wembanyama lurking within the paint.
Gregg Popovich is the correct of coach to get probably the most out of Giddey defensively.
UTAH JAZZ
The Thunder can solely dream of a commerce with the Jazz that centres round Lauri Markkanen, who can be the proper sort of participant to finish Oklahoma Metropolis’s beginning line-up.
Markkanen is coming off one other stellar yr with the Jazz. For the second straight season he shot greater than 39 per cent from deep, and averaged 23.2 factors and eight.2 rebounds.
He the taking pictures, rebounding and switchability to thrive in a Thunder staff that has been purposefully constructed from the begin to prioritise gamers with positional measurement and flexibility.
Sadly for Oklahoma Metropolis, it might take fairly the haul to land Markannen contemplating the Jazz appears to view him as untouchable in trades, as a substitute hoping to construct round him.
The Jazz does make sense as a possible Giddey vacation spot given it additionally has a necessity on the level guard place contemplating 30-year-old Kris Dunn and the very uncooked Keyonte George are its two main choices.
Dunn, having been within the league for eight seasons now, doesn’t actually match its timeline whether it is trying to construct in direction of the longer term, whereas George profiles as extra of a scoring guard than a pure level guard.
If Markkanen is off the desk, what would the Jazz have to supply that could possibly be interesting to Oklahoma Metropolis?
Possibly Walker Kessler as a back-up huge, though if the Thunder strikes on from Giddey it might additionally want to deal with the vacant beginning energy ahead position, ought to Williams transfer to his extra pure place at small ahead and Lu Dort mix with Gilgeous-Alexander within the backcourt.
Maybe that would convey John Collins into the equation as a extra reasonably priced choice for Oklahoma Metropolis?
BROOKLYN NETS
This might be an attention-grabbing situation as a result of it might end in Giddey teaming up with fellow Australian Ben Simmons, who has an identical concern in terms of his shortcomings as a shooter.
Nevertheless, within the occasion that Brooklyn traded for Giddey it’s important to keep in mind that Simmons is on an expiring contract so there’s each probability he’s both off the staff on the finish of subsequent season and even earlier than then, if the Nets discover a potential commerce companion on the deadline.
In different phrases, buying and selling for Giddey can be a long-term transfer even when the match with Simmons on the courtroom on the similar time can be fairly awkward.
Within the short-term, Brooklyn may all the time discover methods to stagger their minutes.
Plus, you would need to assume any involvement from Brooklyn in a possible commerce would contain sending Nic Claxton to Oklahoma Metropolis and that takes one different non-shooter out of the equation.
Though, that in itself poses one other totally different query. Would the Thunder even entertain a commerce with the Nets if it centred round Claxton?
As a lot because the Thunder was urged to deal with its lack of measurement earlier than this season’s commerce deadline, Oklahoma Metropolis as a substitute made a smaller transfer across the margins for Gordon Hayward.
It didn’t work out nevertheless it spoke to the very fact Oklahoma Metropolis isn’t going to make a transfer for the sake of it.
Claxton affords rim safety and rebounding however isn’t an out of doors taking pictures risk, whereas his passing can also be not as developed as a number of the different bigs who could possibly be obtainable.
Both manner, Claxton is a free agent this summer season so if Oklahoma Metropolis was to accumulate him it might contain a sign-and-trade.
As for Giddey’s match at Brooklyn, the Nets have a necessity at level guard as a result of Simmons and Dennis Schroder are their predominant choices heading into subsequent season.
Schroder can also be on a $13 million expiring deal, a sexy contract that makes him a possible commerce asset within the close to future.
Giddey’s passing and imaginative and prescient would make him a pleasant slot in a Nets offence that thrived taking part in in transition final season.
Greater than something, although, having an actual playmaker would assist create alternatives for Cam Thomas and Mikal Bridges.
Talking of Bridges, he can be an excellent match for the Thunder however it’s arduous to see the Nets giving him up with out asking for lots – and doubtlessly an excessive amount of – in return to justify it.
As a substitute, a three-and-D specialist resembling Cam Johnson would be the extra reasonable commerce goal.
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WASHINGTON WIZARDS
If Washington was to make a transfer for Giddey, it might possible contain giving up Deni Avdija.
However in flip, Oklahoma Metropolis must quit an entire lot greater than Giddey, together with a group of first or second-round picks, to land the rising Wizards ahead.
Avdija positioned sixth in Most Improved Participant voting this yr, having averaged 14.7 factors, 7.2 rebounds and three.8 assists, and has the sort of well-rounded ability set that will make him a helpful asset now and into the longer term for the Thunder.
Avdija can play at small and energy ahead, giving him the sort of positional versatility that the Thunder loves, whereas he additionally shot a career-high 37.4 per cent from downtown.
Whereas not a primarily playmaker, Avdija has the perfect mixture of ball dealing with and passing that also units him up effectively for extra of a connective position in Oklahoma Metropolis’s offence.
Actually, for all the explanations above, you’ll assume this commerce can be a non-starter nevertheless it largely is determined by the way forward for Tyus Jones.
Jones is a free agent this summer season and if he leaves, the Wizards can have a obtrusive gap on the level guard place and will do a lot worse than taking a raffle on Giddey’s upside given what he flashed in his first two seasons within the league.
If Jones stays, it’s unlikely the Wizards will likely be motivated sufficient to maneuver Avdija until they acquired a good haul of draft picks in return together with the Australian.
Even nonetheless, Avdija can also be on a really team-friendly contract given his ascending worth.
He’s set to earn $15 million, $14 million, $13 million and $11 million over the subsequent 4 seasons.