The Chicago Bulls seem satisfied with how their roster has shaken out this offseason. It may not have been the aggressive retooling fans wanted, but that was never feasible. A critical piece of business remains, though. For this to work, they must retain Josh Giddey as their starting point guard. He is the straw that stirs the drink on offense. However, things seem at a stalemate. Giddey is a restricted free agent and seeks a new deal. Reports are he wants $30 million per year. The Bulls, knowing the market is soft, are unwilling to give him that.
Fans fear this standoff could become contentious, leading to Giddey accepting the qualifying offer and playing out next season so he can leave in unrestricted free agency. The Bulls do not want that outcome. Thankfully, it sounds like they've handled things well. K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Net revealed that the two sides have had positive dialogue recently. Head coach Billy Donovan even sat down with Giddey recently. It sounds like the two sides want to get something done.
Josh Giddey must decide whether his number is worth sitting out for.
He is well within his rights to demand $30 million per year. The problem is that other teams are in no position to offer him anything close to that. Only the Bulls are. In those situations, the team is not obligated to pay top price when they know they can likely retain a player for less. Fair or not, that is the situation Josh Giddey is in. Initial projections had him eventually landing a deal somewhere around $25 million per year. That feels like the most probable number at this stage unless the Bulls completely reverse their stance. Not likely considering who their owner is. It is a waiting game. Sooner or later, Giddey will have to make a decision whether to take the best offer or accept the one-year deal and take his chances on the market next offseason.
