One of the major questions for the Chicago Bulls this offseason has involved the future of point guard Josh Giddey, who turned into a triple double machine down the stretch of last season. Still, for a while it has appeared that the two sides are quite far apart on talks for a potential new deal to keep the former Oklahoma City Thunder lottery pick in the Windy City.
Recently, NBA insider Jake Fischer took to Marc Stein's Substack to reveal the initial contract that Chicago offered Giddey earlier this offseason, and how things have unfolded from there.
“League sources say that the Bulls made an offer of $80 million over four years to restricted free agent Josh Giddey when the offseason commenced on June 30,” reported Fischer. “Giddey, of course, is seeking an annual salary in the $30 million range. Chicago has been anchored in the $20 million range in annual value ever since its original offer.”
Fischer also reported that some other teams have been interested in potential sign and trade scenarios for Giddey, but that thus far, nothing has materialized on that front.
“The Bulls have likewise become generally known over the past few years as a team that can be challenging to talk trade with. Rival executives have had trouble for several trade deadlines in a row trying to pinpoint whether the Bulls were or weren't looking to offload some of their veteran players,” noted Fischer.
A big decision for the Bulls
While the Bulls' season ended in familiar fashion last year–a play-in game exit vs the Miami Heat–it was a bit easier of a pill to swallow for Chicago fans considering that this time around, their team was led by young talent as opposed to aging vets like DeMar DeRozan.
A big part of that youth movement was the emergence of Giddey, who played the best basketball of his career down the stretch of last season and showcased the playmaking at 6'8″ that made him an intriguing draft prospect back in 2021.
It remains to be seen whether the Bulls and Giddey will finally come to terms on a new deal any time in the near future.
