Don't get it twisted — just because he's been tossed on the back burner this summer, Josh Giddey has a critical role to play for the Chicago Bulls. And if he stays healthy, the pieces are in place for him to push for his first NBA All-Star berth.
Fan focus has understandably centered on rookies Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain, free-agent signing Norman Powell and returning franchise cornerstone Matas Buzelis.
Even the Bulls' new leadership team — executive VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham and head coach Tiago Splitter — has earned its share of headlines.
Splitter's squad will succeed this season by taking advantage of its athleticism, playing at a blistering pace and running opponents out of the gym in transition. But that will only work if Giddey orchestrates the show like one of the best point guards in the Eastern Conference.
The stage is set for Josh Giddey to make his first All-Star team
Giddey is a nightly triple-double threat who averaged a career-high 8.3 assists last season. That number could touch double digits this year and give the 23-year-old some league-wide recognition.
(Also, how is Giddey still only 23?)
Wilson is uber-athletic, but not ready to cook without a table setter. Nic Claxton, who Graham acquired in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets just before the draft, is a standout rim-runner but nothing close to a shot creator. Neither are Leonard Miller, Jalen Smith, Isaac Okoro or Patrick Williams.
Buzelis has improved in that department since his rookie campaign, but isn't ready to carry that load consistently.
Powell, Giddey and, to some extent, Tre Jones are the only players on Chicago's roster who can create offense on their own.
But what Wilson, Buzelis and Claxton lack in self-creation, they make up for — and then some — as finishers. And what are Giddey's greatest skills? His sublime vision and elite passing.
Wilson will out-athlete defenders and use his ferocious explosiveness to elevate at the rim — and Giddey will find him for easy buckets with pinpoint lobs. Ditto for Buzelis.
The Aussie's pick-and-roll game with Claxton should be smooth. Shooters like Powell and Smith should feast on spot-up opportunities behind the 3-point line.
And don't sleep on Giddey's improvement as a shooter. After connecting on just 31.0 percent of his 3.3 triples per game over his first three seasons, he shot 37.1 percent on 4.5 attempts across the last two.
A career-high 39.5 percent of his shots came from beyond the arc last year, and he upped his off-the-dribble attempts from 0.7 to 1.6. He also shot 38.1 percent on catch-and-shoot threes.
Defenses can no longer leave Giddey open on the perimeter and expect him to chuck bricks.
Himothee Chalamet will have the ball in his hands this season. A lot. He has three high-level finishers to toss easy lobs to. He's developed a jump shot. And he'll have plenty of opportunities to grab rebounds and lead a fast break.
Health permitting, Giddey should come close to averaging a triple-double, which would surely be enough to land him on an All-Star team for the first time in his career.
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