When it comes to players who thrive on offense and struggle on defense, the line between stardom and insufficiency is razor thin. It's a harsh reality that Josh Giddey will soon come to terms with, as the Chicago Bulls are no longer stuck in limbo, but actively building for the future.
If Giddey is going to continue to be a player whose offense far outweighs his defense, then he'll either need to make the leap to true offensive stardom or prepare for a future transition to sixth man.
Giddey is only 23 and has already showcased the ability to make a positive impact as a scorer and playmaker. In 2025-26, he averaged 17.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 1.9 three-point field goals made per game, shooting at a clip of .448/.364/.763.
For as strong as that production is, Giddey also ranked in the 16th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, per Basketball Index—a year after ranking in the 17th percentile and two seasons removed from placing in the 36th.
Those numbers accurately reflect what many Bulls fans know: Giddey is an inadequate on-ball defender. He doesn't necessarily need to be elite to fix this, but he must at least be able to complete his rotations, make competive contests, and avoid hemorrhaging points in isolation.
For as productive as he may be on offense, Giddey simply isn't in the Luka Doncic tier of players—and there's not much room beyond it for guards or wings who struggle defensively.
Josh Giddey is toeing a thin line between stardom and insufficiency
Giddey was one of just three players who averaged at least 9.0 assists per game in 2025-26. The others were center Nikola Jokic, who scored 27.7 points per contest, and point guard Cade Cunningham, who posted 23.9 points per outing and ranked in the 84th percentile in perimeter isolation defense.
Expand the search to players who averaged at least 8.0 assists per game and two new players join the list: Doncic at 33.5 points per game and James Harden at 23.5.
Harden may be the best example of a player who struggles defensively, but still experiences success as a starter. He helped the Cleveland Cavaliers reach the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals, after all. In saying that, he had three other All-Stars in the starting lineup with him, including an All-NBA guard in Donovan Mitchell.
The path from where the Bulls are to having that type of star power is so far from realistic to project that suggesting it as a possibility means projecting moves that rely on moves that haven't even been made yet. Confusing, I know.
In short: Giddey must either reach the level of an All-NBA offensive player or change the way he approaches the game. He does an excellent job of maximizing his possessions, but that must either translate to defense or he'll need to take on an even more demanding role on offense and prove he can score at a higher level—all the while improving his efficiency.
With a riveting rookie in Caleb Wilson and a rising force in Matas Buzelis, the Bulls simply can't justify running an offense through a player who's setting a negative example on defense if they're not elevating the team at a superstar level on offense.
If Giddey fails to do so, then his impact on the game will run the risk of canceling itself out—and, over time, the Bulls will need to look for a new starting point guard to take his place.
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