The Oklahoma City Thunder have built their title-favorite roster through quality draft picks and savvy trades, with none of them standing out more than the acquisition of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams (as well as a bunch of draft picks yet to be conveyed) for Paul George in 2019.
However, often lost in the fold is Alex Caruso, who was robbed by the Chicago Bulls in a trade for Josh Giddey, who played himself out of the postseason rotation last year.
Caruso has continued to be a top defender in the NBA, and is exactly the type of player the Thunder need off the bench. Adding him was recently compared to another trade made by the defending champion Boston Celtics.
Alex Caruso
Dec 7, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) dunks against New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (5) during the second half at Smoothie King Center
© Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
"What was the most impactful trade that led to the 2024 championship? The answer was Jrue Holiday being traded to the Boston Celtics, okay? What could end up being the most impactful trade that affects the 2025 championship? I would argue that it might be Alex Caruso being traded to the Thunder," said ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
"So while I understand that the star players drive so much of what happens in this league, the NBA is at a place where, right now, depth matters. And putting all your team into two or three star players, I don't think is necessarily a winning formula."
Last season, Holiday was a much better offensive player than Caruso was this season, and both were stellar defenders. While Holiday is simply a better player, adding a winning, defensive-minded player in the offseason seems to be a recipe for success.
While the offseason rumor mill is already dominated by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant, a smaller move this summer might pave the road for the next league champion in 2026.
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