Josh Giddey looked like a real problem-solver for the Bulls last season. Now, in Chicago’s next phase, he might be part of the problem.
The point guard put together a career year in 2025-26, posting 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists as the engine of a fast-paced offense. In that setup, Giddey could do what he does best: handle the ball, read the floor and direct traffic like a throwback lead guard.
That version has not carried over so far this season.
Through five games, heading into the Bulls’ NBA Cup opener on Oct. 30, Giddey is down to 7.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists. He’s reportedly dealing with a wrist injury, though head coach Tiago Splitter has said it hasn’t impacted the 24-year-old’s play.
Even without the injury angle, the fit has been awkward. Chicago is now leaning into a roster built around athletic young forwards Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis, not the older group that included Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Nikola Vucevic. Giddey’s game made more sense in the old arrangement than in this one.
Splitter has the Bulls playing at a similar pace to last season, but the usage picture tells the real story. Wilson and Buzelis have been handed the keys and the room to grow, with usage rates of 27.0 percent and 23.2 percent, respectively, among players who have appeared in at least five games. Giddey is at 16.2.
That’s the tension. He’s still an elite passer and one of the league’s more creative initiators, but those gifts matter less when he’s not the one controlling the offense. And while he has become a passable shooter, sitting off the ball and spotting up behind the arc is not his preferred lane.
There’s also the money. Giddey has just finished the first year of a four-year deal that pays him $25 million annually and runs through the 2028-29 season. If Chicago ends up using him as a reserve guard to run the second unit, that’s a steep price to pay.
That same contract also complicates his market. He may not be the kind of trade chip that brings a huge return, but executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham wasn’t the one who acquired him, and he doesn’t have to treat him like untouchable baggage. If moving Giddey helps the rebuild keep going, Chicago may have to consider it.
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Powell has long looked like a player who could draw interest if Chicago decided to move him, but the timing may be shifting faster than expected. With several teams suddenly dealing with key absences, the market for a ready-made scorer can change in a hurry, and that could put the Bulls in position to explore a deal before the season settles into its usual rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Were Exposed Again By Boston In A Familiar Way
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The bigger concern was how quickly the game tilted away from the Bulls, who were forced to chase from the opening stretch after Boston came out with pace and purpose. Shooting, defense and turnovers all worked against Chicago, and the margin only grew as the Celtics kept pressure on every possession. By the time the Bulls tried to settle in, the game had already started to slip into the kind of one-sided loss that leaves a team searching for answers. [Read more 🡒]
Patrick Williams Still Has One Big Bulls Question Hanging Over Him
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Splitter has also been careful not to close the door on anything, saying Williams has been performing well in training camp and will have chances to play as the season moves along. For a Bulls team still sorting out its rotation, that leaves Williams in a familiar spot: healthy enough to be in the conversation, but still waiting for the first real opportunity to turn camp progress into game minutes. [Read more 🡒]