Last summer, the swap of Alex Caruso and Josh Giddey caused mixed emotions from Chicago's fans. Most supported the idea of getting younger, cheaper, and higher upside talent, especially at a position that hadn't seen consistent production in several years. That camp was also in favor of moving on from several other veteran pieces like DeMar DeRozan, who went to Sacramento within weeks, Zach LaVine, who was traded to the Kings during last month's trade deadline, and Nikola Vucevic, who continues to age poorly and eat away at cap space. For as many were excited about the move, there was an equal number of puzzled followers who were not in favor of adding a role player with minimal upside, who was most recently benched during the most crucial stretches of the playoffs with a top-tier NBA roster in Oklahoma City. After a rocky start to his first year with the franchise, Giddey has since posted nearly a triple-double nightly, improved his shooting and defense, and is primed to be the point guard of the future. Here's how expensive he will be.
Between $20 - $30 Million Annually
Josh Giddey will be a restricted free agent this summer. Since arriving in Chicago, he has beamed about the franchise, the coaching staff, and the roster. He won't necessarily be eager to leave, but with no immediate title contention or even playoff contention in sight, there's no telling if the desire to win will lead him out of town. K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network has kept his philosophy on the extension consistent, making their 22-year-old guard test the market and match whatever he is offered. His running mate Coby White, who can score at an elite level but is less impactful in every other way than Giddey, recently inked a 3-year, $36 million extension.
.@KCJHoop breaks down how the Bulls should negotiate a new contract for PG Josh Giddey this summer 👀 pic.twitter.com/NLIDpRnCIr
— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) March 12, 2025
As Johnson points out, Jalen Suggs is earning $30 million annually in Orlando, and not many teams have enough cap space to bid on a non-All-Star guard with shooting and defensive struggles.
Point Guard Of The Future
Another factor that will lead Arturas Karnisovas and his group to re-sign the 22-year-old guard is the assets they surrendered for him. Caruso was once valued at multiple first-round draft selections before the Bulls traded him away for one expiring contract in Giddey. This would become an all-time blunder on Karnisovas' long list of mistakes. With the Bulls ranking among the league's best in three-point shooting, transition, and pace, expect them to bring back the catalyst that started the movement.
Josh Giddey will likely sign a $30M/Yr contract this summer, per @WindhorstESPN
— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@DieHardCBfans) March 13, 2025
Windy: “The going rate for a starting PG in the NBA is around $30M. Look at Immanuel Quickley, he got 5 years $162M ($32M/year).” pic.twitter.com/hajnj44Nb9
After this impressive stretch following the trade deadline that may result in a playoff run for Chicago, does Giddey have your vote at $30 million annually to ink a long-term extension? Not many of the Bulls' recent contracts have panned out. Will this be the first of a series of successful ones?
