Latest news with #JoshGiddey
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alex Caruso Facing Backlash From Lakers Fans After NBA Finals Message
Alex Caruso Facing Backlash From Lakers Fans After NBA Finals Message originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Alex Caruso joined the Oklahoma City Thunder this past offseason, arriving via trade from the Bulls in a deal that sent Josh Giddey to Chicago. Caruso cemented his role as a defensive anchor and veteran leader—averaging 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game—earning a four-year, $81 million extension in December. Advertisement He captured his second NBA championship on Sunday as the Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7. Caruso was a key contributor throughout the Finals. He finished the series among the top three all-time in NBA Finals steals and logged critical minutes at age 31—the oldest in the rotation. Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9).© Kyle Terada-Imagn Images After the game, Caruso was asked about his two championships, and had an interesting comment about the 2020 title he won with the Los Angeles Lakers. 'Yeah, now I got a real one… now no one can say anything," the former Lakers guard said. However, many Lakers fans interpreted his statement as a jab at the 2020 Lakers championship, earned in the Orlando bubble, suggesting his new ring carried more legitimacy. "Lost all respect for him… joking or not.." one fan wrote. Advertisement "He actually tripping saying that idc if it was a joke," another fan added. "Everybody acting tough when they up," a third fan mentioned. "Did he just call the bubble fake?" another fan said. 'Don't bite the hand that fed you," one fan warned. "This is hella corny," another fan stated. "This one faker than the bubble," another fan declared. Caruso later clarified his statement on social media, claiming he was joking: "I had 3 beers already, it's SARCASM!! -two time" Related: LeBron James' Son Reacts to Kevin Durant Trade Related: Celtics Make Unexpected Luka Doncic, LeBron James Post on Wednesday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bulls rumors: The latest on Lonzo Ball, Coby White trade interest
The post Bulls rumors: The latest on Lonzo Ball, Coby White trade interest appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Chicago Bulls are going to make some trades this offseason, we know this. However, what we don't know is who the Bulls are going to trade and who they are going to get. There a ton of rumors surrounding the team right now in terms of potential targets like Kristaps Porzingis and Jonathan Kuminga, and some players that might leave Chicago in a trade are Lonzo Ball, Coby White, Nikola Vucevic and Ayo Dosunmu. Advertisement Because of age and current value, it feels like a certainty that the Bulls are going to trade Nikola Vucevic this offseason. However, there are some other players that might go as well. Lonzo Ball and Coby White have been at the center of numerous trade rumors, but the Bulls still aren't exactly sure what they want to do with those players. 'The Bulls continue to receive calls from teams inquiring about Lonzo Ball, sources said,' ClutchPoints' NBA insider Brett Siegel said in a recent report. 'Chicago has not yet signaled whether they will be willing to trade the 27-year-old guard, who fought hard to make a comeback from multiple knee surgeries. Both Ball and Coby White are receiving a lot of interest.' If the Bulls want to trade either Ball or White, it sounds like they will easily be able to do it. White has emerged as arguably the best player on the team in recent years, but it seems like Chicago is more interested in going all-in on Josh Giddey, who had a fantastic finish to this past season. If that's the case, White would bring a lot of value to a trade. Ball doesn't hold as much value, and he also doesn't bring as much to the Bulls' roster as he used to. He has gone through a remarkable recovery from a knee injury that kept him sidelined for two years, but he isn't the same player that he was before he went down. It might be time for Chicago to move on. Advertisement There is a reportedly a lot of interest in both Lonzo Ball and Coby White, and the Bulls could probably land a good amount of talent/picks if they do decide to trade them. Related: Bulls rumors: Insider reveals Chicago's NBA Draft plan Related: Bulls rumors: What Jake Fischer is hearing about draft, Kristaps Porzingis trades
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Easy decision': Aussie pulls out of NBA Draft, Bogut lifts lid on $10m truth
Just three days after the OKC Thunder clinched the NBA championship, the eyes of the basketball world will be on the NBA Draft on Thursday (AEST). Josh Giddey (No. 6 pick) and Dyson Daniels (No. 8) are Australia's greatest success basketball success stories at the moment after being taken with lottery picks in recent drafts by the Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans, respectively. Watch live coverage of the 2025 NBA Draft with ESPN on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. This year, there are four Australians expected to be picked in the second round of the NBA Draft — Sydney Kings youngster Alex Toohey, 220cm Brisbane Bullets giant Rocco Zikarsky, Duke point guard Tyrese Proctor and Illawarra Hawks NBL champion Lachlan Olbrich. Proctor is the most highly rated prospect of the Australians after he spent three years playing college basketball at Duke. The 21-year-old is expected to be picked early in the second round. Another top Aussie prospect is Alex Condon, a 20-year-old centre who achieved NCAA glory with the Florida Gators this year, becoming the sixth Australian to win the US national college basketball championship. Condon had been slated to be picked late in the first round, possibly to the Brooklyn Nets, but last month he made the decision to withdraw from this year's NBA Draft to return to Florida for another year of college hoops. It's becoming increasingly common for players who aren't expected to be first round picks to pull out of the NBA Draft to stay in college, especially after name, image and licence (NIL) rules were changed in 2021. For top football players, basketball players and gymnasts, this means they can earn hundreds of thousands, if not millions, playing sport at college while being a campus celebrity. The No. 1 pick is expected to earn as much USD$12.6 million in their first season, while players selected at the end of the first round of the NBA Draft received a tick over US$2.5 million. Luc Longley and Andrew Bogut remain the two Aussie seven-footers who have dominated the NBA — Bogut told Zikarsky has room for improvement, but 211cm Condon could be something special. 'He's tall, he's got great touch,' Bogut said of Zikarsky. 'I think it's just going to be a matter of how he copes with physicality and getting in the nitty gritty over there on a daily basis. 'Alex Condon is the other guy — he had to be drafted in this upcoming draft but he's pulled his name out. 'Obviously, the NIL money makes a big difference to go back to. 'He's probably going to make more money this coming season in college than he would being drafted in the second round. 'So it's a pretty easy decision to have another great year in college, all the perks of that and get paid better He's probably the next one in line that has a chance.' Bogut, who was taken by the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft, doesn't believe he would have gone at No. 1 in today's landscape. 'I will say this, if NIL money was what it was when I was in college, I don't know if I'm the No. 1 pick,' Bogut said. 'I just think you let your guard down. I think it'd be super hard. 'If I went back as a sophomore, in today's (money), I'd probably be getting 10 million a year in NIL for the next three years of my college career. Bogut continued: 'I don't know if I'd have that same motivation to get to the NBA and make a good living because you've got it already and in a cool, chill environment in college, partying in the dorms, making 10 million a year. 'Playing in front of college crowds, great. One game a week. 'I think it would have fried my brain … and I probably would have fizzled out.' Longley said the NIL money on offer to top players is 'more than I made in my whole pro career'. 'I'm trying to imagine being in college and having that kind of money,' Longley said. 'All your peers are living in the dorms and boiling rice at the end of the month, putting butter and salt in it to get through.' Both Giddey and Daniels are no longer on the teams that drafted them but their improvement in season 2024-25 means the duo are set to receive massive paydays worth as much as USD$30 million (A$45 million) per year. Daniels' younger brother Dash Daniels looms as Australia's next great prospect — the 17-year-old has joined the NBL's Melbourne United as an NBL Next Star and will likely declare for the draft in coming years. The Dallas Mavericks are expected to take Duke star Cooper Flagg after being awarded the No. 1 pick in a draft lottery stunner. The rest of the top 10 is unclear, with Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper highly rated, but Bailey has refused to work out with NBA teams, a cardinal sin in the draft process. Bailey, a sharpshooter from Rutgers in New Jersey, has been criticised by Philadelphia's Paul George, who said: 'If I'm Ace Bailey I can't get mad if my stock drops. 'He's cancelled all workouts. He hasn't worked out for any team. You're not in a position to be making those demands. Make it to the league first. 'That's a kid that's been paid in college. 'I got money, I don't care. I'm gonna tell you where I'm gonna go. 'It's almost the 'me before the team', before he's on the team.' Bogut names potential Boomers starting five for LA 2028 Olympics Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels are now the main men for the Boomers, despite Patty Mills once again scoring clutch buckets when it mattered most at the Paris Olympics. But looking ahead to the 2028 LA Olympics, it's doubtful Mills and Joe Ingles will be part of the national team as the Boomers chase a second Olympic medal. Asked to name a potential Boomers starting five for the 2028 Games, Bogut said Giddey and Daniels are locks, and he favours Jock Landale at centre and bringing back Paris snub Matisse Thybulle. That leaves one spot up for grabs and the Boomers will be hoping a three-point shooter emerges over the next three years to supplement Giddey's playmaking and the defensive prowess of Daniels and Thybulle. Bogut said: 'You'll have Giddey and Dyson. Jock will be the 'five'. As of today, I'd love to have Matisse back in the fold. 'I think the 'three spot' is up for grabs and we need a shooter there. Is it Josh Green? Or does someone come up that can really shoot the ball, a (Johnny) Furphy or someone like that.'
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
NBA world says same thing about Josh Giddey after OKC Thunder championship
Josh Giddey has sent a message of total class after watching his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammates win the NBA Championship in euphoric scenes on Monday (AEST). In the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 2016, the Thunder took advantage of a heartbreaking serious injury to Indiana franchise star Tyrese Haliburton to win the decider 103-91 on their home court. It must have been a rollercoaster of emotions for Giddey, watching his former team go all the way just 12 months after he was shipped off to the Chicago Bulls. Giddey has thrived since joining the Bulls and is reportedly set to sign a staggering $46 million per-year deal with the iconic franchise. However, that all seems somewhat insignificant when watching his former team take the league by storm this season. Giddey shared an Instagram story with a photo of OKC's triumph, writing: 'Congrats to the guys' with three love hearts. It was all class from the Aussie point guard, who also shared his heartbreak at Haliburton's Achilles injury in the first quarter that proved a cruel blow for the Indiana Pacers. HaliðŸ˜'ðŸ˜'ðŸ˜'ðŸ˜' — josh giddey (@joshgiddey) June 23, 2025 The man OKC replaced Giddey with, Alex Caruso, turned out to be a pivotal piece in the Thunder's championship puzzle. The 31-year-old, who one of the league's best defender's in 2023 and 2024, was sent to OKC by the Bulls in a straight swap for Giddey. Caruso had the third most steals in NBA Finals history as he won his second NBA championship following his 2020 title with the Los Angeles Lakers. OKC Thunder general manager Sam Presti paid tribute to OKC's entire squad including Caruso, who at 31 years of age is by far the oldest player in the Thunder's rotation. 'Age is a number,' an emotional Presti said about his young squad that shapes as the NBA's next dynasty. 'Sacrifice and maturity is a characteristic and these guys have it in spades. It's a privilege to work with these guys. 'These guys represent at that is good at a young age. They prioritise winning, they prioritise sacrifice. This just unfolded very quickly. Last offseason, Presti recruited Caruso and centre Isaiah Hartenstein, bringing in players to bolster the Thunder's three-point shooting, defence and rebounding. The Thunder winning the title a year after his departure would be a tough pill to swallow for Giddey, and it seems everyone is saying the same thing about the 22-year-old point guard. One American sports writer posted on X: 'Josh Giddey has to be sick right now'. The Thunder traded Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso and won a championship The Bulls traded Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso and now get the right to pay him 30 million dollars a year It’s ok to like Josh Giddey and still admit the Bulls lost that transaction — Justin Talks Hoops (@J_Talks_Hoops) June 23, 2025 The Hartenstein and Caruso acquisitions are both all-time moves from Sam Presti. Addressed clear needs on the roster + added a veteran presence to a young group. — Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) June 23, 2025 Australian basketball legend Luc Longley, who won three championships with Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, is backing Giddey to bounce back from getting traded. 'I don't feel a single bit sorry for Josh,' Longley told recently. Andrew Bogut, who won an NBA title with the Golden State Warriors, said the brutal nature of Giddey's benching by the Thunder in last season's playoffs would sting. 'I mean he essentially got benched and was somewhat told that 'we can't win with him in the line-up',' Bogut told 'He's been on record saying he'd rather it happened now than in year seven, eight, nine, ten — and work out the kinks at an earlier age. 'But to some young guys that could derail you, that could mentally screw you.' Giddey became a near triple double machine in the back-end of the NBA regular season and the Bulls are expected to re-sign him as they are urged to lean into a rebuilding around a young core. 'He's bounced back even better for it and now you know second half of the year for him was phenomenal,' Bogut said. 'Chicago's gonna have to have to pay him, I think. I don't think they have any choice with the way the (salary) cap is.' Longley added: ''With Josh, I hope that they build the right pieces with him and around him. And I do believe in his appetite for it. 'I think he is supremely motivated by things more than money. He is deeply competitive.' Meanwhile, Alex Ducas, who is on a two-way contract with the Thunder, has now become just the eighth Australian to win an NBA championship and is likely to be awarded with a championship ring by team officials as a member of the support staff.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How hard will the Nets dip into the NBA restricted free-agency market?
The Brooklyn Nets head into the 2025 NBA offseason with a myriad of ways in which they can improve the roster, from the 2025 NBA Draft to free-agency. Brooklyn has four first-round picks to use in the upcoming Draft, but they will have to use free-agency to build the rest of the team around their incoming rookies, but it will be interesting to see how they approach free-agency. "Others around the league have wondered if Brooklyn would dip into the restricted free agent market this summer with players such as Josh Giddey, Jonathan Kuminga, Santi Aldama, and Quentin Grimes all available," HoopsHype's Michael Scotto wrote earlier in May. Free-agency in this current landscape in the league is usually not about the best players given that those guys usually have player options, but the restricted free-agents are the interesting cases. Advertisement Per HoopsHype, the best player available this summer that doesn't have a player option is Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner and the run that the Pacers are on right now in the Eastern Conference playoffs, it's safe to say that Turner is returning to Indiana. Giddey, who played for the Chicago Bulls this season, is coming off an impressive season as he averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 46.5% from the field and 37.8% from three-point land. Kuminga, who has had an uneven career during his time with the Golden State Warriors, is coming off a season with averages of 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per contest while shooting 45.4% from the floor and 30.5% from deep. Aldama, who played power forward and center for the Memphis Grizzlies, has an interesting profile heading into restricted free-agency as he is averaging 12.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game on 48.3/36.8/69.1 shooting splits. Lastly, Grimes, who split last season between the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers, increased his status significantly since landing in Philadelphia as he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 46.9% from the field and 37.3% from behind the three-point line. All four of these players are sure to get significant pay raises this summer, but it will be interesting to see if any of them will be in Brooklyn next season. This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: How hard will the Nets dip into the NBA restricted free-agency market?
