NBA insider predicts outcome for Chicago Bulls, Josh Giddey stalemate

What’s going to happen with Josh Giddey? At this point, nothing seems certain. It’s September now, which means there have been two full offseason months without a contract with the Chicago Bulls. It’s beginning to get a little alarming.

But Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus has a prediction, and it’s one that would probably be appealing to the Bulls and their fans. “The Bulls appear to believe they hold all the leverage with Josh Giddey, offering a contract thought to be in the $80 million range over four seasons. The team seems to think that’s too much for him to reject to take a one-year, $11.1 million qualifying offer.”

Giddey could always take a gamble and accept the qualifying offer (around $11 million for one season) and then enter free agency as an unrestricted free agent, but that’s a gamble that hardly ever pays off in the NBA. Giddey would be better served taking whatever deal he gets from Chicago than that.

“The stalemate may resolve soon, but it’s challenging to see Giddey landing anywhere else this coming season outside of Chicago,” Pincus said, adding his prediction. “If Giddey can get the Bulls to make the fourth year a player option, he should take the deal on the table. Chicago may not be willing, and that may still be the best choice he can make.”

That would be a much more palatable option for the Bulls, as they don’t want to increase the offer financially because then it would border on too expensive and not team-friendly enough for a player who was good but not great.

For Giddey, this is obviously preferable to the one-year QO, and it gives him the flexibility down the line when he’s still in his prime to go back into free agency and try to up his value. Otherwise, he can opt in and remain with the Bulls at what might end up being a better salary anyway.