In an NBA era dominated by predictable star profiles—sharpshooters, isolation ballers, micro-athletic wings—the thought going into this season was that Josh Giddey didn't fit the mold. Critics pointed to his ball-stopping tendencies, his early career three-point struggles, and the nagging question: Can you really build a winning offense around a 6-foot-8 guard who isn't a traditional pull-up scorer?
Well, the answer is clearly "yes"—but only when the system actually fits. And for the Chicago Bulls, that alignment has delivered a definitive vindication.
The anatomy of the Bulls' "right system"
Chicago's deliberate shift to a faster, free-flowing offense couldn't have come at a better time for Giddey. This new focus on high-speed, decision-making offense (transition attack, early offense) directly plays into Giddey's greatest strength: his grab-and-go rebounding and elite transition passing.
The pace and space mandate
With the pace the Bulls are playing at, which clearly leads to more transition chances and quick offensive initiation, Giddey's knack for grabbing rebounds and pushing the ball, together with his superior vision, is a major strength, not just a unique quirk.
The Bulls currently rank among the league's top 10 in pace, demonstrating their commitment to this style of play. No longer overshadowed by another star, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City, Giddey is now the undisputed leader in setting the tempo. The effect is tangible: when Giddey dictates the flow, the Bulls' offense is visibly more efficient, maximizing early attack opportunities.
The gravity equation
The evolution of Giddey's three-point shooting is the most significant change in his game. He has improved his three-point percentage from below 35 percent while with the Thunder to an impressive 39.8 percent this season.
That dramatic increase makes defenses take his perimeter shooting seriously, effectively solving the floor-spacing issues that affected his early career. The respect he now commands opens driving lanes for himself and, crucially, expands his passing windows for teammates. In Chicago, Giddey is not just shooting better; he's playing free from the spacing shackles.
The assist-to-score catalyst
Giddey isn't built for hero-ball; he's built for collective winning. Giddey is a playmaker who makes the right pass, not an isolation creator like a traditional star. This identity is the core of how he enables a high-functioning offense. His high assist numbers—currently averaging 8.7 per game—reflect a playmaking vision focused on efficiency.
When he kicks the ball out, flips timely passes, or pushes ahead in transition, teammates like Coby White and Matas Buzelis (and seemingly everyone else on the team) benefit. This is the "playmaking > creation" argument realized: Giddey's passes lead to efficient shots for others, rather than forcing low-percentage, hero-ball possessions.
The triple-double threat leadership tool
When your guard is consistently racking up rebounds and assists (averaging near triple-double numbers in key stretches), it reflects a high basketball IQ and engagement across all facets of the game.
Giddey's consistent ability to secure 9-plus rebounds and dish out 8-plus assists doesn't just fill stat lines—it sets a tone for the entire team's effort and hustle. This versatile and promising engagement breeds buy-in from teammates, cementing him as a true floor leader who contributes to the game's effort and pace from the opening tip.
The financial edge
The Bulls' excellent decision to lock Giddey into a four-year, $100 million flat contract in September 2025 told the world they believe. However, from a cap-strategy perspective, it represents a massive organizational win. At roughly $25 million per year, the Bulls are getting an elite floor-leader at an excellent cost-to-production ratio for a starting point guard who is still only 23.
This is a bargain when considering the contracts of other young guards in the league who have commanded salaries closer to the $40 million mark. The market has revalued him, solidifying Giddey as a high-value asset. Critically, the flat contract structure is an ideal organizational tool.
It allows the Bulls maximum financial flexibility in later, more expensive years of the deal, enabling them to pursue other core pieces—such as securing White's future deal (or maybe a sign and trade) —without Giddey's salary becoming an ascending cap anchor that restricts their ability to maneuver under the rising cap.
The doubters dilemma
Here's the truth: Giddey may never conjure the gaudy isolation stats of a "traditional" 30-point star. But what he is proving in Chicago is that he is exactly what this modern era demands—a floor-leader, craftsman, and offensive engine.
His current form proves he is an elite, unconventional point guard for a modern, fluid system. The doubters who wrote him off because he didn't fit a cookie-cutter silhouette are now scrambling to recalibrate their assessments of star power.
The Bulls' front office was initially ridiculed for the move, but they built a system that leveraged Giddey's unique strengths, rather than expecting him to fit a pre-existing mold. That sort of organizational structure is what separates the contenders from the pretenders
Our current favourite Aussie is demonstrating that the Bulls' confidence was justified, and now the rest of the NBA is starting to notice it. He is silencing critics, showing that their doubts were unfounded, and now we can all enjoy the benefits of that.