Josh Giddey is expected to re-sign with the Chicago Bulls this offseason, but negotiations were beginning to get tense, according to reports, based on his presence (or lack thereof) at 2025 NBA Summer League. Another report, however, this one more recent, adds information and points toward a more amicable round of discussions between the franchise and its floor general.
Giddey is a restricted free agent and, therefore, can agree to a long-term contract with any NBA team. Apart from the Brooklyn Nets, though, there aren’t any teams with enough cap space to bring on the 22-year-old. Given that Brooklyn just drafted about 74 point guards in the first round of the 2025 draft, its interest in Giddey is presumably non-existent.
The Bulls, on the other hand, are — and should be — very interested. The 6-foot-8 point guard is the engine that makes the team’s offense run (literally), and Chicago needs a happily compensated Giddey if it hopes to finally make a postseason push that extends beyond the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament.
Latest reports reveal positive talks between Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls
Only 48 hours ago, NBA insider Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report shared that Giddey was in Las Vegas for summer league but hadn’t joined any of his teammates courtside to watch the B-version Bulls play. He speculated that Giddey’s absence meant negotiations with Chicago’s front office weren’t heading in a positive direction — a fair assumption to make.
But according to ESPN’s latest reporting on the situation, Giddey was, in fact, in Las Vegas, but had lunch with head coach Billy Donovan, and his agents were set to meet with Bulls brass at some point this week.
Both pieces of news did come from reliable sources, even if they’re conflicting. The one constant assumption all summer, though, is that Giddey and the franchise will come to an agreement on a long-term deal at some point this offseason.
The No. 6 pick in the 2021 draft averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists last season while shooting a career-high 37.8 percent from three, an encouraging development given that his outside shot was one of his most glaring weaknesses heading into 2024-25.
After the all-star break, the Aussie posted averages of 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists while shooting 46 percent from deep.
The Bulls need Giddey, and Giddey needs the Bulls. The news that talks are progressing cordially is a positive development in the seemingly long-running saga.
