Josh Giddey‘s situation with the Chicago Bulls appears to be quite complicated at this stage in the offseason. As a restricted free agent, Giddey already finds himself in a difficult spot negotiating a contract extension with the team. With the Bulls also keen to sign him on a lower-value deal, the current scenario doesn’t bode well for the guard.
Giddey is one of the more underappreciated guards in the league. Though not as athletic as the average player in the same position, the 22-year-old makes up for it with tremendous game IQ, length, court vision, and sheer playmaking ability.
His arrival in Chicago effectively transformed the team. With an average of 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists, he also helped them secure a spot in the Play-In tournament. Although the Bulls came up short, the team played an exciting brand of basketball with Giddey at the helm of the offense.
The offseason has not been as kind to the Bulls guard, who is currently hoping to sign a significant long-term deal worth roughly $30 million annually. Meanwhile, Chicago hasn’t entertained or presented any such offers, primarily allowing the market to decide what value there is for the guard.
As things stand, if Giddey accepts the team’s $11 million qualifying offer, he would become an unrestricted free agent next season. But with aspirations to earn a larger contract, we look at potential landing spots for the guard where this could become a reality.
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are among the few teams in the league with an ample amount of cap space. Considering that the team is primarily comprised of young players and only a handful of high-value contracts, the Jazz have enough money available to make a sizeable offer for Giddey.
The notion of having the 22-year-old guard on the Jazz is exciting. Utah has made some interesting moves to make changes to its roster this offseason. With John Collins being traded to the Clippers and Jordan Clarkson being bought out, the Jazz have the roster space to add fresh talent.
When looking at the Jazz’s rotation, the team needs a traditional point guard, especially with a player like Keyonte George anchoring the scoring in the backcourt.
Giddey’s addition would also boost Utah’s offensive prowess. With players like Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler still on the roster, the 22-year-old is more than capable of drawing out their potential to increase the Jazz’s offensive output. Having a solid playmaker could also be advantageous in helping No. 5 overall pick Ace Bailey settle into the rotation.
The challenge with completing this deal lies in Giddey’s status as a restricted free agent. While the Jazz could throw a meaningful offer to acquire the guard, the Bulls still have an opportunity to match it and re-sign him at the same value.
Brooklyn Nets
Much like the Jazz, the Brooklyn Nets also have enough cap flexibility to sign Giddey as a free agent. With the acquisitions they have made so far, it is evident that the Nets need a point guard.
The Nets have made some interesting moves since the draft. After utilizing all of their five first-round picks, Brooklyn opted to trade Cam Johnson to the Denver Nuggets to acquire Michael Porter Jr.
The addition of another shooter next to the likes of Cam Thomas provides clarity on the team’s offensive schemes. But with the lack of an experienced point guard to run the offense, the Nets may not enjoy much success with this pairing.
Giddey’s ability to find the open man and facilitate clean looks is not to be overlooked. With the potential for a solid two-man play between Giddey and Nic Claxton as well, the Nets could boast a fairly potent and versatile offensive set by making this move.
With approximately $73 million in cap space at the moment, Brooklyn could be in a prime position to acquire the guard. Although the notion of signing the guard to a contract of $30 million a year may not be in the Nets’ best interest, a relatively competitive figure could pry him away from Chicago.
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an interesting landing spot for Giddey, and possibly the most challenging from a salary cap standpoint. But if title contention is to be considered a priority, the Warriors may be the best fit for a player like him.
The Warriors have been one of the quietest teams in the offseason. While they were primed to make some significant moves to strengthen their roster, the Dubs have effectively made no signings. This also applies to outgoing moves, as players such as Jonathan Kuminga, who remains with the franchise amid trade speculation.
A move for Giddey would require the Warriors to engage in a sign-and-trade with the Bulls. Given their limited cap space, offering a sizeable contract is out of the picture for the team.
But considering that the Warriors have a restricted free agent of their own who intends to make a name for himself, the Dubs could manage to complete a trade.
Sign-and-trades for both Giddey and Kuminga would form the foundation for the trade. With this, the Warriors would also address the problems plaguing their current guard rotation.
A backcourt pairing of Stephen Curry and Josh Giddey has a lot of merit. With Curry’s off-ball movement paired with Giddey’s court vision, the guard duo could wreak havoc on opposition defenses.
At 6’8″, Giddey also adds size to the roster, albeit not in the position they need. This still has its own benefits, as the 22-year-old has shown himself to be a capable rebounder at his size.
A Challenging Offseason For Restricted Free Agents
This year’s offseason has undoubtedly been a challenging one for restricted free agents. With the second apron forcing a lot of teams to restructure their rosters to avoid paying additional penalties, restricted free agents like Josh Giddey and Quentin Grimes have been stuck in place without many future avenues for leaving.
Given the kind of qualities of this year’s RFAs, it is understandable why teams are hesitant to sign a new contract without gauging the market demand. But this has hurt the prospects of these players, particularly those who hope to join a different team like Kuminga.
Even in the context of the Bulls guard, it is unlikely that any deal will happen anytime soon. With franchises biding their time until they extend an offer, Giddey may continue to see himself on the Bulls roster for the foreseeable future.
