In his two seasons with the Chicago Bulls, Josh Giddey has proven himself to be a building block in Chicago. His season averages of 17 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds are all career-highs, he's having the most profilic 3-point shooting year of his career, and his advanced stats usually slot him around the 50th-best player in basketball.
That's all encouraging for Bulls fans (who could really use some encouragement right now), but it's also important to note that Giddey isn't a guy who slots into just any lineup. He's a very good player, but has a few crucial deficiencies that may dictate the roster the Bulls try to build around their primary ballhandler.
Giddey is turning the ball over at a career-high rate, which isn't too alarming (but is noteworthy) considering he's carrying a greater load on offense. His handle is good, but it isn't effective in letting him beat defenders off the dribble. Thus, whoever the Bulls see as Giddey's backcourt mate (and hopefully the third member of a Big 3 with Matas Buzelis), needs to be able to create for themself in a halfcourt set.
He's also a highly improved 3-point shooter (remember when teams literally refused to guard him on the perimeter with the Thunder), but not a high-volume sniper. His partner in crime should probably be someone who can get hot from outside.
Josh Giddey needs a certain type of teammate to thrive
I'm thinking of a Donovan Mitchell. Not actually Donovan Mitchell, probably, but things will get a little hairy in Cleveland if the Cavaliers bow out early again... Just saying.
A speedy, floor-spacing guard who can hold their own on defense and act as a complementary ball-handler could be the perfect backcourt mate for Giddey, who has been plagued with turnover woes recently. If the draft is where Chicago hopes to find this guy, Labaron Philon Jr. of Alabama meets the criteria.
Who knows if the Bulls have someone in mind to fill this role. But a backcourt partner for Giddey should probably be top priority this offseason. Collin Sexton, Rob Dillingham, and Tre Jones aren't going to be the longterm answer there, and that's okay. But the Bulls' rebuild might be in a holding phase until there's a young guard with a star ceiling on the roster.
Giddey's unique skillset eliminates a lot of players due to being a bad fit next to him, but it's better than starting completely from scratch, because if the Bulls do find the perfect guard to complement Giddey, I think fans will be surprised with how quickly things start trending in the right direction.