CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 28: Josh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls celebrates a basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at the United Center on December 28, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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Tuesday, the Chicago Bulls and Josh Giddey ended a months-long stalemate. The restricted free agent returns to “The Windy City” on a four-year, $100 million contract, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The lack of activity regarding the 22-year-old this offseason highlights the unlikelihood of seeing him or other top restricted free agents land with a team other than the incumbent.
Giddey’s new pact can enable him to move past any friction created by the frustrating and slow-moving nature of his contract negotiations with the Bulls.
For Chicago, it locks in a key part of its future. The former sixth overall draft pick is coming off a campaign where he set multiple career highs. The four-year veteran averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.2 steals. The latter three are the most he’s generated in a single season.
Giddey also took a significant step toward quelling concerns about him as a shooter. The Melbourne, Australia, native knocked down 37.8 percent of the 4.0 threes he hoisted. After the All-Star break, he buried 46 percent of his tries from behind the arc. He also made 50 percent of his field goal attempts.
That effectiveness led to Giddey producing 21.2 points per contest during that stretch. He also snagged 10.7 rebounds and dished out 9.3 assists post All-Star break.
The value in re-signing Josh Giddey
After three years with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Giddey arrived in Chicago in the trade that sent Alex Caruso to this year’s NBA champions. Seeing his former teammates lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy without him had to be bittersweet for Giddey.
However, as evidenced by his production, he took his game to new heights last season. Now Giddey gets the chance to build on that in the same infrastructure that helped him raise his ceiling by becoming a far more reliable shooter.
Players like him and recent lottery picks, Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue, could form a youthful trio that creates a bright future for a franchise often stuck in mediocrity. Coby White, 25, could add to that. However, his name is a staple of the rumor mill.
Growth isn’t always linear. However, Giddey’s age and the leap he made last season suggest there’s plenty of remaining upside. If he continues his ascent, barring a caveat — such as a significant injury — he will also hold considerable trade value.
If the Bulls ultimately decide to go that route, he could be at the center of a blockbuster trade for a star.
It was highly unlikely that Chicago would lose Josh Giddey. The deal he’s staying on is great for him. It’s also an arrangement that creates multiple avenues to build a bright future for the Bulls.
