Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey has been red-hot recently, and nobody is happier about it than Jalen Williams. Williams stuck up for his teammate on Twitter Tuesday night, mocking fans who thought Giddey should be traded. Giddey set a season-high with 25 points in the 119-112 victory over New Orleans. Additionally, the Australian international is now 9-of-14 from deep over the last two games.
What brought this on?
Jalen Williams responded to a fan who said people who wanted to “are awfully quiet tonight.” “J-Dub” doubled down on that claim, saying “super quiet, shut 'em up.” Josh Giddey trade rumors had been heavily circulating the last couple months, perhaps unfairly. While the third-year guard had been having a down year until recently, he's still just 21 years old. He still has plenty of time to develop and show the NBA world why the Thunder drafted him sixth overall in 2021.
After all, Giddey's first two seasons were impressive. In addition to being the youngest player in history to register a triple-double, and he's the first since Oscar Robertson in 1961 to have three consecutive triple-doubles as a rookie. Giddey also became the fourth player ever to have 1,000 points, 700 rebounds, and 500 assists across his first 100 games.
There have also been questions over whether Giddey fits into the lineup with Williams. However, they formed a formidable one-two punch in the win over the Pelicans. Williams scored a team-high 26 points while adding in five assists. Meanwhile, Giddey led the team with nine rebounds and 10 field goals made, albeit on just 14 shots.
A big issue was that Giddey seemed to be the odd man out both basketball-wise and financially. He often struggled from long range, and the Thunder needs consistent shooters around their core of Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Chet Holmgren. Also, it could be difficult to re-sign Giddey under the current salary cap while also maintaining said core.
With Giddey shooting 39% from three in March, though, he could be turning a corner on that front. He's also shooting 53.3% overall, with both clips being a season-high thus far. If the former All-Rookie Second Teamer can keep this up, the Thunder may be inclined to do everything they can to keep him.
How does Joh Giddey compare to Jalen Williams?
Getting praise from Williams isn't small potatoes. The second-year forward has been lights-out from the field this year, shooting 44.1% from three and 54.1% overall. He also garnered All-Rookie First Team honors last season.
However, while Williams is the more prolific scorer, Giddey bests him in the rebounding department. While Williams has played one less season, he averages 2.1 fewer boards per game. While it may not seem like an important stat for a guard, guaranteeing the team two more possessions could make the difference in a close contest.
Overall, while Giddey might not yet be at the level of Oklahoma City's “core three,” he'll earn his seat at the table if he keeps playing at this level. If the Thunder don't pay him when the time comes, then someone else will.
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