Josh Giddey, Bulls Reportedly Had Some 'Positive' Contract Talks Amid NBA Rumors in FA
Even though restricted free agency has been a slow-moving process, Josh Giddey and the Chicago Bulls are reportedly making progress toward a new contract.
Per ESPN's Jamal Collier, Giddey and Bulls officials have had "positive" contract talks recently and the expectations is the two sides will "eventually" come to an agreement.
It always seemed like an uphill battle for the top restricted free agents, including Giddey, Jonathan Kuminga and Quentin Grimes, to find a significant offer because there wasn't a lot of cap space across the NBA when the offseason started.
In fact, the Brooklyn Nets were the only team assured of having cap space. They did eat into their available room by acquiring Michael Porter Jr. from the Denver Nuggets, but they still have around $19.9 million available.
Since there wasn't a lot of money to go around, most of the notable deals this offseason have come via trade.
Another problem for Giddey is he's a deeply-flawed player attempting to secure the first big contract extension of his career at a time when teams are generally being more mindful about how they spend money because of the apron rules.
Collier noted Giddey entered the summer looking for a deal that pays him around $30 million annually. For perspective, the only free agent thus far who has signed a contract worth at least $30 million per season was Kyrie Irving on his new deal with the Dallas Mavericks ($39.5 million annually).
The Bulls are in a good position to potentially bring back Giddey on a team-friendly deal because there don't seem to be many active suitors for the 22-year-old.
Giddey, who was acquired from the Oklahoma City in June 2024, averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game in 70 appearances for the Bulls in 2024-25.
Chicago finished last season with a 39-43 record and missed the playoffs after losing to the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament. The club has finished under .500 in three consecutive seasons and seven times in the past eight seasons.
