Chicago Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas was not ready to declare the organization’s direction this offseason after the first round of the 2024 draft.
He was complimentary of rookie first-round pick Matas Buzelis, the No. 11 overall selection of the 2024 draft. Reporters also peppered Karnisovas with questions about the trade for Josh Giddey.
The deal sent Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He had notably been silent in the immediate aftermath.
“I’m obviously happy about the trade, happy that we were able to get this deal done and bring Josh to Chicago,” Karnisovas told reporters after the first round of the 2024 draft on June 26. “Bringing a very talented guard that is an elite playmaker and rebounder with elite size. His game is predicated on making everyone better around him. Those guys are hard to find and they are not available. We were fortunate to get him.
“He comes at the high price, which was Alex. I wanted to thank Alex for amazing three years. He was great for the city of Chicago and Bulls organization, and we wish him all the best in OKC.”
The pros and cons of Josh Giddey, according to our guys
Karnisovas was pressed about adding Giddey – who has struggled shooting and defensively and is entering a contract year – while giving up Caruso and failing to add draft capital.
Arturas Karnisovas Expects Josh Giddey to Improve as a Shooter With Bulls
“I think that’s a trade that we prefer over picks because it’s hard to acquire players this young, this productive that early in their careers, especially when he already has like 11 triple-doubles in his career,” Karnisovas said. “We were just excited and we thought that that was the price to pay for Josh.”
The Bulls exec stood by his group’s evaluation of Giddey and what he can still become.
“He’s still 21 [years old],” Karnisovas said. “His production was really good last three years. He has room for growth, and I think coming here to Chicago he’s going to be able to demonstrate more playmaking and he’ll make everyone else better. Probably one of the areas that he’s going to get better – actually most of the players that come to our league, they become better shooters.
“Once he becomes a better shooter he’s going to be a threat and then he’s going to be able to play-make much better.”
Josh Giddey Working On His Shooting And Handles With Drew Hanlen 💯🔥
Helping players develop as shooters has been a focus of the organization. They hired Peter Patton as Director of Player Development last offseason. Several current Bulls have credited him with helping them refine their forms.
Giddey is a career 31% shooter and shot a career-high 33.7% from deep last season.
He pointed to the defensive end as a focus for him during his introductory press conference on Juen 25. Giddey also acknowledged that he did not feel maximized in an off-ball role.
Arturas Karnisovas Tones Down Desire to Retain DeMar DeRozan
Reporters also asked Karnisovas about his plans to keep DeMar DeRozan. The Bulls and DeRozan had expressed interest in continuing together as his three-year, $81.9 million contract expires this offseason.
However, Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported on the “#thisleague UNCUT” podcast on June 25 that there were no current talks between the two sides.
The Bulls have prioritized finding a trade for Zach LaVine, per Haynes.
Keep the Clippers in mind as a potential DeMar DeRozan destination if Paul George signs elsewhere.
Karnnsovas was previously open about his desire to keep DeRozan in the fold. But he was far more measured on draft night in the wake of the Buzelis pick and the preceding trade for Giddey. Speculation has been growing about DeRozan’s availability this offseason.
“We’re going to look at everything,” Karnisovas said. “Everything is on a table and it’s still an option.”
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Bulls’ Arturas Karnisovas Breaks Silence on Alex Caruso-Josh Giddey Trade