Giddey: 'No hard feelings' for OKC

When Josh Giddey found his minutes diminishing in Oklahoma City's Playoffs Series against Dallas, he knew it might be time for change.

The 21-year-old was relegated to the bench for the final two fixtures. He averaged just 15 minutes' game-time across the Series, well down on the 25 he'd logged across the regular season, and even further removed from the 31 he managed across the 2022-2023 campaign.

A post-season discussion with Thunder GM Sam Presti set things in motion. A trade was his best option. 

"He (Presti) spoke to me about looking at potentially different roles, coming off the bench, running the second unit, things like that," Giddey said. 

"And I just said to him, at this point in my career, I’m 21 years old, it wasn’t something that I was overly eager to do. And he completely understood."

The wheels were in motion and almost as quickly as the decision was made, Giddey became a Chicago Bull.

He doesn't bare any grudges towards his old team though, saying the decision was very much an amicable one.

“Throughout the whole process, we were open and honest with each other. And I said to him (Presti), ‘Look, coming off the bench at this point in my career is not something I’m trying to do and take a reserve role.’ He got it.

“We worked together through the whole process and he got me to a great spot. I’m very, very excited to be here in Chicago.”

The former NBL Next Star is eager to become the Bulls’ people-pleaser, “making the game easier” for those around him.

“I think the player I am, my job is to make the game easy for everybody else,” Giddey said.

“Make sure guys get easy looks, make them confident on the floor. I feel as a point guard when you get guys around you going and making them involved in the game and feeling good early, it opens the game up for everybody. That’s how I see myself, making basketball and the game simple for everybody else and making it easier for everybody around me.”

The 2021 draftee landed at the Bulls in exchange for Alex Caruso, and already has big ambitions at his new home. 

“Being able to get guys involved, distribute the ball, make guys around me confident is what I pride myself on doing. It’s hard to do that when the ball is not in your hands a lot and you are screening and doing different things," he said, reflecting on his final season in Oklahoma, while looking ahead to his new role. 

“For me, that's the big thing coming here. I want to be the pass-first point guard that I am and help teammates generate easy looks and get them feeling good right from the get-go.”

Although the 6’8 Aussie Boomer boasts solid numbers across his NBA career, he wants to improve as a versatile all-rounder. 

“The defensive end is something I realised has to be at the highest level,” Giddey added.

“You've got to be able to compete at that end and guard guys. That’s the side of the ball I really want to take pride in.

“The offence will come naturally, but it's that side of the ball I really want to take steps forward in, to make sure when Playoff time comes around I am ready to go on both sides of the ball and not just one.”

Giddey will play a key role in the Australian Boomers' chances at the Paris Olympics next month, where's he's expected to lead the starting rotation. 

The former Adelaide 36er was originally drafted with the sixth overall pick in 2021, and will no doubt be keeping an eye on the new wave of Next Stars now preparing for their shot at the big time across Thursday and Friday's NBA Draft.