Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Chicago Bulls Lowball Rising Star in Contract Talks

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Aleksandar Mishkov | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 9:30 AM ET

After last season’s trade deadline, many around the league expected that Josh Giddey would earn a max-level contract extension. At the deadline, the Bulls traded Zach LaVine, leaving more room for Giddey to operate. In his first season with the Bulls, Giddey showed he can be a great player. However, according to the Bulls, he has yet to reach the level of a maximum contract player.

Chicago Bulls Lowball Rising Star in Contract Talks

According to the latest reports, the Bulls have offered Giddey a four-year, $80 million contract. That would put him in a category with players like Collin Sexton, who will earn little over $19 million for next season. Giddey wanted a more lucrative deal, something along the lines of what Immanuel Quickley got, or what Jalen Johnson and Jalen Suggs earned last summer. If we look at salaries for next season, even players like Terry Rozier will earn more than $20 million next season.

Mar 22, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) and forward LeBron James (23) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

In the era of the first and second apron, teams are more careful about how they construct their roster and allocate salaries. But last season, Josh and Coby White showed they can be a good starting backcourt. There was a stretch where Giddey averaged a near triple-double over 13 games: 21.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 9.3 assists. During that period, he shot better than 50% from the field and behind the arc.

Should Giddey Get a Lucrative Deal?

Last season, Giddey was arguably the best player on the Bulls. Once LaVine was out, Giddey took control of the team. However, the Bulls finished the season 10th in the East with only 39 wins. The team is trying to build a sustainable winner, and that can only be achieved without overpaying average players. The question is whether Giddey is an average player or a top player in the league. Judging by the contract extension offer the Bulls gave him, Josh Giddey is an average role player.

The truth might be somewhere in the middle, but Giddey suffered from being a restricted free agent in a summer when not many teams had money to spend. While the Brooklyn Nets have cap space, they are at the beginning of their rebuild. Right now, the Bulls do not have a player earning more than $21 million for next season. If things do not change, Nikola Vucevic will be the highest-earning player next season. Most of their players will be free agents next summer, giving Chicago plenty of flexibility to construct its roster.

The Bulls have made mistakes in the past, most notably giving Patrick Williams a huge extension. After five seasons, the former No.4 overall pick has yet to show his worth. And the Bulls drafted him before players like Obi Toppin, Deni Avdija, Tyrese Maxey, and Tyrese Haliburton. All of them have grown into either stars or very valuable role players.

Right now, it seems like the Bulls are trying to avoid similar mistakes. If the two sides do not reach an agreement on a contract extension, Giddey will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Without a deal in place, he becomes one of the more popular targets for teams at the trade deadline.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: