The biggest offseason storyline for the Chicago Bulls has been the ongoing contract saga of Josh Giddey, who is currently a restricted free agent. Giddey and the Bulls have not yet seen eye to eye on a potential new deal, and recently, NBA insider Marc Stein took to his Substack to report on the latest on those negotiations, as well as what could be on the horizon next summer for the Bulls regarding Coby White.
“Giddey has until Oct. 1 to seize upon a one-year qualifying worth $11 million that would position him to become an unrestricted free agent on June 30, 2026, if he and the Bulls can't come to terms on a long-term agreement between now and then,” Stein reported, confirming ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel's report that the Bulls' updated offer was still not enough for Giddey's liking.
“The Bulls, of course, are bracing amid the Giddey negotiations for the prospect of Coby White seeking a four-year deal worth more than the $30 million-per-season pact that Giddey has sought when White is the Chicago backcourt cornerstone eligible for a nine-figure deal next summer,” added Stein.
An interesting decision for the Bulls
On the one hand, the Chicago Bulls haven't had much in the way of young talent for quite some time, so it would certainly appear to be in their best interests to keep both Giddey and White on their books for the long term, even if it means paying slightly above market value.
On the other, a Giddey and White backcourt, while intriguing, is probably not particularly close to being a legitimately good backcourt in the modern NBA, even if both players reach the fully realized versions of themselves. Neither Giddey nor White provides much in the way of defense, and both struggle to play off the ball, which led to some awkward offense at times last year in Chicago.
Still, the alternative may be losing one or both of them for nothing, so the Bulls certainly have some big decisions to make.
The Bulls are slated to kick off their 2025-26 season at home against the Detroit Pistons at 8:00 PM ET.
