Chicago Bulls star Josh Giddey named big winner of NBA offseason

Josh Giddey wanted $30 million per year. The Chicago Bulls wanted to sign him for $20 million. In the end, they settled at $25, which is a win for Giddey for negotiating the Bulls up to a better salary for himself and keeping the four-year length.

According to Bleacher Report insider Grant Hughes, Giddey is one of five big winners of the offseason. Ironically, all other RFAs, like Jonathan Kuminga and Quentin Grimes, were named among the losers this year.

“Giddey had no leverage. The Brooklyn Nets were the only team with significant cap space this past offseason, and they didn’t even come sniffing around. In fact, their own restricted free agent, Cam Thomas, had to settle for the qualifying offer,” Hughes wrote.

“The total dearth of suitors should have put Giddey at the Bulls’ mercy. It’s a borderline miracle that he came out of the offseason with a nine-figure deal,” the insider continued. Giddey had very little in the way of options, but he still managed to come out in decent shape.

He could’ve taken the qualifying offer and hit unrestricted free agency next year, but that’s a huge risk due to the “lack of interest in him this year, coupled with broad skepticism about his ability to contribute on a winning team.” That would have been risky, but Giddey and his agents got everything out of the Bulls they possibly could here.

The Bulls seemed to be the only team willing and able to sign Giddey. There was virtually no chatter about a sign-and-trade, and while he would’ve had more interest in 2026, he wasn’t willing to bank on another stellar season to improve his value, so he got the best deal he could from the Bulls.