Will Josh Giddey’s Signing Affect Bulls’ 2026 NBA Draft?

Days ago, the Chicago Bulls and Josh Giddey agreed to a brand new deal, which is set to keep the former No. 6 draft pick in Chicago for the long haul.

On the surface, the signing was a positive. The two sides met in the middle price-wise, and were able to ink the Australian in Chicago long-term. Having traded him one-for-one for Alex Caruso just one year ago, anything else would’ve seemed a failure on Chicago’s end.

But while retaining a talented player in Giddey is certainly worth it, it’s likely to have implications on a mightily important 2026 NBA Draft.

For better or worse, Giddey is a floor-raiser.

Some might not see that as such a bad thing. He’s a great lead guard, able to score, handle in moderation and pass with the best in the league. He showed plenty of that in Oklahoma City, but did so in his lone season with the Bulls too. Across 70 games last season, he averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists, leading the Bulls to 39 wins.

Without true development to his game, however, a floor-raiser is likely what he’ll remain. His lack of wiggle with the ball in-hand hurts his ability to break down the first line of defense, and while his 3-point shooting has gotten better, it still doesn’t seem as if offensive superstardom is in his future.

Additionally, his defense can be a real negative, having been one major reason OKC opted to upgrade.

Giddey’s a solid player, and will help Chicago for seasons to come. But that will now come at the risk of hurting the team’s draft standing. The 2026 NBA Draft is said to hold as many as three No. 1-level picks in Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer, and it will be pivotal that Chicago lands one to continue building for the future.

The Bulls were set to be in the mix with the Wizards, Nets and Jazz, but in re-signing Giddey, they currently seem a step above.

There will be levers Chicago can pull in order to achieve better draft standing. It still has new youngsters in can lean into and develop — such as Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue — and a few veterans still waiting to land in new spots. But Giddey is certain to improve their regular season standing some.