The Chicago Bulls and point guard Josh Giddey are reportedly at a tense impasse in negotiations on a long-term contract extension. Out of the league's four restricted free agents -- Golden State's Jonathan Kuminga, Brooklyn's Cam Thomas, Philadelphia's Quentin Grimes and Giddey -- Giddey's discussions with Chicago are the "most strained," according to Bleacher Report insider Jake Fischer.
The 22-year-old floor general and the Bulls are expected to come to an agreement at some point this offseason. The longer the two parties are at odds, though, the greater a chance there is that the franchise risks alienating one of its cornerstones.
Bulls, Josh Giddey relationship is crucial to Chicago's future
The trade that brought Giddey to Chicago and sent Alex Caruso to Oklahoma City remains a widely accepted loss for the Bulls, but the 6-foot-8 Aussie proved indispensable to what his team did last season. Chicago switched from an iso-heavy, half-court offense under DeMar DeRozan to a run-and-gun transition scheme, and Giddey was the ideal point guard to lead it.
The sixth overall pick in the 2021 draft had a career year in his fourth NBA season with averages of 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists. He took a massive leap as a three-point shooter, connecting on 38.3 percent of his 4.0 attempts per game.
After the All-Star break, Giddey performed like one of the best guards in the league, nearly averaging a triple-double with 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists while shooting 50 percent from the field and 46 percent from deep.
Before last season, Giddey and his camp were hoping for a long-term extension worth $30 million per year. He won't get that this summer, and Chicago is reportedly offering closer to $20 million per season. A deal is still expected to get done, but as Fischer termed it, the situation is more "strained" than any of the other RFA negotiations.
Fischer and fellow insider Marc Stein have both reported that Giddey will put pen to paper sometime in August. But Chicago has to be careful and keep talks friendly because the organization will need Giddey if it hopes to become a legitimate playoff contender again.