Bulls’ trade for Josh Giddey part of rebuilding disguised as retooling

Welcome to guard Josh Giddey’s great unknown.

Whom will his teammates be at the start of training camp? What will his role be? And how about a contract extension?

According to the Bulls’ latest acquisition, he didn’t ask about any of it and wasn’t told.

‘‘I’m going into it as whatever happens here happens,’’ Giddey said Tuesday in his first news conference since the Bulls acquired him in the deal that sent guard Alex Caruso to the Thunder. ‘‘I just kind of focused on getting here, getting acclimated to the new surroundings. I haven’t asked. I know the draft is [Wednesday], and they’ll get players through that. But in terms of what direction the franchise is going, I haven’t asked any questions.’’

Not that tight-lipped Bulls executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas would have shown Giddey, a 21-year-old from Australia, his hand this early in what several around the NBA think is a pending rebuild being disguised as a retool. Then again, Karnisovas seldom shows his hand to anyone outside the top offices of the Advocate Center.

In this instance, however, there are more than a few tells.

The Bulls brought in Giddey to be the starting point guard. They hope he can pick up where Lonzo Ball left off in the 2021-22 season — before three surgeries on his left knee put Ball’s career in jeopardy. That means putting the offense into a sprint up the floor rather than a casual stroll.

That’s why multiple sources have indicated the Bulls are opening the door to all trade possibilities this offseason, not just those involving shooting guard Zach LaVine. They are ready to move on from Ball, which might involve a waive-and-stretch deal that will spread the rest of the money they owe him over a longer period, and will listen to trade offers that involve center Nikola Vucevic and sign-and-trade candidate DeMar DeRozan.

It will have to make sense for Karnisovas, but he finally seems ready to abandon the ‘‘continuity’’ strategy that has failed him the last couple of seasons.

One NBA executive said his feeling is that the Bulls didn’t just trade Caruso for Giddey; it was, in essence, Caruso for Giddey and a first-round pick in the 2025 draft. If the Bulls land in the top 10 of the lottery next season, they will keep their pick; if they don’t, it will go to the Spurs.

So the idea of getting worse in the standings but having a young, up-and-coming point guard and keeping a top-10 pick in a loaded draft class is winning by losing.

Then factor in the No. 11 overall pick — barring an aggressive move up — the Bulls have in the draft Wednesday, and they could flip their roster somewhat while still holding on to young players such as Coby White, Patrick Williams and Ayo Dosunmu.

Giddey’s part in all of this is simple — to get better. He expressed a certain amount of self-awareness, especially when he was asked about losing minutes during the Thunder’s playoff run.

‘‘It was probably a blessing in disguise for me,’’ Giddey said. ‘‘It really taught me what I need to work on, how I need to get better. Obviously, the shooting is a big one, but also the defensive end. A switch just flipped in my mind, and I just realized that to be at the highest level, you’ve got to really be able to compete at that end. You’ve got to be able to sit there and guard guys.

‘‘It’s [the defensive] side of the ball that I really want to take steps in. So that when playoff time comes around, I’m ready to go on both sides of the ball.’’

Not only was Giddey open about the weaknesses in his game, but he also admitted he told Thunder executive Sam Presti he rather would be traded than be a backup.

The only topic he wouldn’t discuss were the allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a minor, which he was cleared of by the NBA and investigators in Newport Beach, California.

‘‘Completely understand the question, and I know you’ve got to ask; it’s your job,’’ he said. ‘‘But I’m not going to comment on anything regarding that situation.’’

Where will all of this lead? Well, another piece likely is coming in the draft Wednesday. If it’s high-flying Ron Holland, it would make sense. He fits with what Giddey likes to do.

Just don’t ask Giddey.

‘‘Like I said, I haven’t asked [about personnel changes],’’ Giddey said. ‘‘I’ll try and play my part in trying to help our team be as good as we can be right from the jump.”