The Oklahoma City Thunder shocked the NBA world last season by securing the top seed in the Western Conference. The Thunder were led by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Coach of the Year Mark Daigneault en route to a 57-25 record, their best since the 2013-14 season. The team ultimately lost in the second round to the Dallas Mavericks. It’s clear, however, that the Thunder are destined for greatness. And after their offseason trades this summer, the Thunder have likely further cemented their position as title contenders. Most notably, the team traded Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for defensive ace Alex Caruso. Although Caruso is an excellent signing for the Thunder, some within the organization were upset about passing on Giddey. Thunder star Chet Holmgren in particular recently spoke of him being “hurt” after the trade.

In a recent interview on Paul George’s podcast Podcast P with Paul George (YouTube link) Holmgren thought about the trade.

“Man, I was (expletive) hurt when I heard Josh Giddey was no longer going to be on our team. We’re all great with him, he’s our dog, still. He’s going to do big things in Chicago, so we’re happy for him. We’re also happy to have (Alex Caruso) on our team now. Like you said, he’s a great defender, he makes shots, he always makes game-winning plays, makes the right plays, (and) that’s the type of guy you want to play with.”

Chet Holmgren ‘injured’ after shocking offseason trade

Why the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Josh Giddey

Giddey spent the first three seasons of his career in Oklahoma City. What made the Australian native stand out on the court was his versatility and ability to play any guard or forward position. Additionally, at such a young age, Giddey was primed to be part of the team’s long-term future. Over time, however, Giddey’s role diminished and he eventually fell out of favor in the rotation.

Additionally, his poor playoff performance last season didn’t help him. In 10 total games, Giddey averaged 8.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 18.1 minutes. Additionally, his defense looked poor and he was benched midway through the Thunder’s series against the Mavericks. Thunder GM Sam Presti later revealed that the team wanted him on the bench next season as well. However, Giddey apparently rejected the idea, so a trade was a no-brainer for both sides.

“So when we began our internal discussions this offseason, it was decided that our best option would be to bring Josh off the bench next season to maximize his many talents and make our team more efficient over 48 minutes. When we explained to Josh how he could utilize his strengths and ultimately optimize our current roster and talent, it was difficult for him to envision it and the conversations turned to him asking about potential opportunities elsewhere.”

“Josh has All-Star potential, but it would not be optimal for the collective to utilize it in the Thunder’s current structure. Based on these discussions, we have decided to move forward and prioritize what is best for the organization.”