Oklahoma City has seen some exciting young prospects come through the state during the rebuild era. Even though the Thunder were losing more games than they were winning, it was always fun to see young talent on display and imagine where their careers would take off to in the future.
It was obvious from the beginning, though, that this Thunder team would have to make some tough decisions down the line. With so many prospects, and even more draft picks, there was just simply no room to keep every single player on board longterm — no matter how highly the Thunder thought of them. Eventually, some of the Thunder’s better prospects throughout the rebuild found solid footing on other teams across the league, and Oklahoma City received compensation through trades as well.
One of those players that looked like a future star was Josh Giddey — Oklahoma City’s 6th pick in 2021. He had many great moments in blue and orange, and give Thunder fans something to be excited about when the wins were few and far between. Giddey improved a lot in Oklahoma City, and put up some big numbers over the years. It didn’t workout in the end, as his last season saw the production fall off and the playoffs expose the Thunder’s starting lineup that he was in.
The love went both ways, though, as Giddey started his career with the Thunder and grew up in the city. He was certainly sad to be traded as he was so close with the guys in the locker room. Even though he found a great situation in Chicago, experienced success, and signed a massive new contract, it was definitely a strange feeling watching his former team win the NBA championship a year after his departure.
“It was a weird feeling because I was with them a year ago,” Giddey said on NBA Today. “I’m very close to all the guys still. To see that was a weird feeling. Obviously, there’s zero bad blood there. So I was very happy. If the Bulls didn’t win it, I was more than happy for the Thunder to watch those guys win it.
“They deserve it, the players, the fans, the state — they were the best team all year. Rightfully so, they got it done in the end, but it was a weird feeling watching them play because being there a year ago and being in that environment. But as I said, super happy for the guys and the city, I know how much they wanted it.”
Josh Giddey on the Thunder’s NBA championship:
“It was a weird feeling because I was with them a year ago. I’m very close to all the guys still. To see that was a weird feeling. Obviously, there’s zero bad blood there. So I was very happy.”
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— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) October 29, 2025
While it would’ve been nice if it worked out in Oklahoma City, both parties benefitted from the trade. The Thunder gained a key piece in Alex Caruso who helped them win a championship, and Giddey got an opportunity to showcase his full skillset.
Last season in Chicago, Giddey averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. This season, through five games, he’s already up to 19.3 points per contest. His solid play netted him a four-year, $100 million contract this offseason, too.
The love was mutual, too, as players in the Thunder locker room have kept up with Giddey and his career — they are certainly happy to see him performing well. Even with Giddey’s personal success, though, it’s understandable how it could feel weird watching essentially the same team that he was on make a deep playoff run and win it all. He was connected to the crowd, the city, and the organization on a deep level.
