The Chicago Bulls made one of the offseason’s smartest moves by re-signing Josh Giddey to a four-year, $100 million deal. The 22-year-old will earn roughly $25 million per season before reaching free agency at 26.
In doing so, the Bulls locked in an integral, rising star at a bargain relative to the market. Giddey’s $25 million annual salary is lower than what peers such as Immanuel Quickley, Jalen Suggs, Jordan Poole, and RJ Barrett are making.
Josh Giddey's counting stats place him in a league of his own
The 6-foot-8 floor general was one of just three players to average at least 14.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game, joining superstars Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic. While Giddey isn’t near their level, his trajectory certainly points toward All-Star potential.
Ultimately, what separates Jokic and Doncic from Giddey—and most of the league—is that their contributions directly translate to wins. Both took their teams to the NBA Finals in consecutive seasons. Although Doncic came up short, unlike Jokic, he has repeatedly shown he can carry his team.
Giddey, by contrast, remains largely untested, particularly as a primary option. He played for the 2023-24 Oklahoma City Thunder, who won 57 games, but he was a tertiary contributor behind reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren.
While talk of Giddey falling out of favor with the Thunder may be exaggerated, it ultimately played a role in his exit. In the Western Conference Semifinals, he struggled to find his role, with his weaknesses more exposed on a team that didn’t rely on his playmaking thanks to Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams.
Nonetheless, his move to Chicago reinvigorated his career. The Aussie regained control of the offense, and his stats reflected it. While his numbers before the All-Star break were modest, his post-break performance was near otherworldly: 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game, shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 45.7 percent from three over the final fourth of the season.
There’s reason to doubt that Giddey’s post-All-Star break numbers will hold over a full season, but his breakout coincided with the Bulls trading former leading scorer Zach LaVine. Moreover, despite an uptick in usage, his efficiency surged. Giddey appeared to improve as he settled into Chicago—not just because he received more opportunities.
Even if Giddey doesn’t maintain the same level of efficiency he showed after the All-Star break, his overall production should stay similar. This would again place him alongside elite playmakers, Jokic and Doncic.
In the end, even Giddey’s top-tier play won’t push the Bulls past 50 wins. Realistically, this roster projects for 35–40 victories, meaning Bulls fans should brace for a likely Play-In appearance—even with All-Star production and a potential triple-double stat line from the newly extended Giddey.