Report: Teams reluctant to discuss key offseason move with Bulls

After an impressive debut season with the Chicago Bulls, you could have been forgiven if you believed Josh Giddey's restricted free agency was a mere formality. The playmaking guard established himself as a key member of Billy Donovan's rotation. Furthermore, he ended the season looking like the cornerstone of the team's rebuilding efforts.

Instead, Giddey and the Bulls have been at an impasse throughout the summer. If reports are to be believed, the issue is that Giddey is seeking a deal in the region of $30M per year. Chicago, on the other hand, is working in the $20M per year range.

According to NBA Insider Jake Fischer, that impasse has led some teams from around the league to register their interest in Giddey. However, any potential move to sign him would need to be a sign-and-trade. Unfortunately for Giddey, those teams are "reluctant" to enter negotiations with Chicago, as they've become a notoriously difficult franchise to deal with in trade discussions.

"Sources say Giddey has managed to attract some external interest from rival teams since free agency began, with multiple Eastern Conference teams contacting Giddey's representation to register sign-and-trade interest," Fischer reported via The Stein Line Newsletter. "Yet it's likewise true that more than one rival front office has indicated a reluctance to try to engage the Bulls in sign-and-trade discussions, sources say, with Chicago having messaged for some time that it is not eager to discuss such scenarios."

For Chicago, the interest in Giddey should be a wakeup call. His unique style of play and ability to impact a game in a host of different ways should make him borderline indispensable. At 22, he's likely to continue improving for the best part of a decade. Chicago can't let such a talent slip through its fingers. 

As such, the Bulls must try to meet Giddey closer to where he's at. A deal in the region of $25M or $27M per year would likely go a long way to getting him back to the negotiating table. 

If other teams are starting to test the waters, Giddey could be tempted to sign his qualifying offer. That would make him an unrestricted free agent and all but ensure his time in Chicago is short-lived. 

The Bulls front office must act now after Giddey has proven himself. While his contract requests are undoubtedly high, the Bulls would be securing his future, and that alone is worth paying a premium for.