Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drops emotional reaction to Josh Giddey's first Bulls post
OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped an emotional reaction to his former teammate Josh Giddey's first Instagram post in a Chicago Bulls jersey. SGA commented a teary-eyed emoji on the post that featured a snap of Giddey attempting a free throw during the Bulls' preseason matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.
Thunder center Jaylin Williams also shared his feelings on the post.
"miss you buddy," Williams commented.
The OKC Thunder traded Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls in June, onboarding Alex Caruso in exchange. Giddey reportedly requested a trade from the team after he resisted the Thunder's plans to use him off the bench.
The 6-foot-8 guard played a significant role in helping OKC become one of the best teams in the league. Giddey concluded the previous regular season averaging 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 47.5% from the field as the Thunder secured the first seed in the Western Conference.
However, as they progressed in the playoffs, the team was focused on Shai-Gilgeous Alexander having the ball, and Giddey struggled to adapt to off-ball roles along with inconsistent 3-point shooting. This reportedly led to his removal from the Thunder's starting lineup during the playoffs and his subsequent trade.
Chet Holmgren admits to being heartbroken after Josh Giddey's trade to Bulls
Ahead of Josh Giddey's trade to the Chicago Bulls in the offseason, the OKC Thunder's young core had seemingly developed a close bond that went beyond basketball. On an episode of "Podcast P" with Paul George last month, Rookie of the Year runner-up Chet Holmgren shared his feelings about Giddey's departure from the team.
"Man, I was—I was f**king hurt when I saw that Gid (Josh Giddey) isn’t gonna be on our team anymore,” he said. “You know, we all rocked with him. That's our dog. Still is, you know.”
However, Holmgren also expressed excitement for Giddey’s future with the Bulls.
“He's gonna go do great things in Chicago, so we're excited for him,” Holmgren said.
Watch the segment at 2:10 here:
Josh Giddey will likely have a much more significant role with the Chicago Bulls than he did with the OKC Thunder. In the Bulls' two preseason games so far, Giddey averaged 11.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals in just over 22 minutes of playtime per game.
Entering into his fourth year in the league, Giddey will make his official debut for the Bulls when they face the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 23 for their first regular season matchup of the 2024-25 NBA season.