Chicago Bulls’ Josh Giddey negotiations get positive update

Initial reports suggested that Josh Giddey, who has so far had virtually no interest from any team besides the Bulls, wanted $30 million per year, something along the lines of the five-year, $150 million deal that Jalen Suggs signed with the Orlando Magic. The Bulls didn’t want to pay that, and it doesn’t look like they’ll have to.

That impasse drove the negotiations to a stall, but things are now trending in the right direction. Insider K.C. Johnson said, “Anyone speculating about the deterioration of the relationship should put that on pause. I’m told that Giddey had some very constructive conversations with Bulls personnel, including a sitdown with Coach Billy Donovan.”

Johnson was told the two sides are still talking, so there’s no reason to think the negotiations have completely ground to a halt as the two sides remain apart. “The Bulls are not going to be offering [him] $30 million a year. That remains their stance,” he added.

The insider said he thinks that Giddey might go for a shorter-term deal with a lower salary so that he can enter unrestricted free agency again in a few years, thus potentially getting a significant deal then when there are no limits on his availability.

“He’s still a very young player; he’s going to have another big contract after this,” Johnson said. “The positive relationship remains. I’ve said many times the Bulls did not trade Alex Caruso for Giddey to let this relationship deteriorate. I fully expect a resolution to this, a positive resolution, sometime in the near future.”

Giddey is just 22, so even if he signs for the five years that was rumored, he would end up back in free agency (unrestricted this time) at age 27, which is far from out of his prime.