The Chicago Bulls came out of the gates this season like a team on a mission, jumping to a 5-0 start and turning heads across the league. Their offense was clicking, their defense was holding firm on the perimeter, and for a brief moment, it looked like Chicago might be a surprise contender in the East.
But since that hot start, the wheels have started to wobble. The Bulls have dropped eight of their last ten, and their once-tight defense has sprung some serious leaks.
Still, even in the middle of this rough patch, there's one bright spot that continues to shine: Josh Giddey. The 6’8” playmaker has quietly - or maybe not so quietly - inserted himself into the Most Improved Player conversation, and he’s doing it with the kind of all-around game that demands attention.
Let’s rewind for a second. Early in the season, Giddey noted that the Bulls' defense wouldn’t be able to rely on opponents missing threes forever.
He was right. Over the past 10 games, the Bulls rank 25th in Defensive Rating (120.4), and they’ve been torched from deep - giving up 15.5 made threes per game, second-worst in the league over that span.
Teams are finding their rhythm against Chicago, and it’s showing in the win-loss column.
But even as the defense has faltered, Giddey’s offense has kept the Bulls afloat - at least enough to steal a couple of wins during this slide. In both of those victories, Giddey dished out exactly 11 assists, a stat that feels more like a signal than a coincidence. When he’s orchestrating at that level, Chicago has a fighting chance.
And let’s talk about that orchestration. Giddey’s numbers heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Hornets are eye-popping: 20.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game, while knocking down 40% of his threes on 4.5 attempts a night.
That’s not just improvement - that’s borderline elite production across the board. He’s tied for second in the league with five triple-doubles, including a recent 28-11-11 performance in a loss to Brooklyn that showcased just how much he’s grown as a lead guard.
This kind of stat line puts him squarely in the MIP conversation, even if the Bulls' record doesn’t help his case. According to FanDuel, Giddey currently sits at +1000 to win the award - good for fifth-best odds. Sure, that’s a long shot, but it’s also a testament to how much his game has leveled up.
Coby White finished second in MIP voting just two seasons ago, and Giddey could be following a similar path - though for him to make a serious run at the award, one of two things probably needs to happen:
- The Bulls start stacking wins and finish with a better record than last season.
- Giddey continues to log big minutes and pile up the kind of stats that voters can’t ignore, even if the team doesn’t climb the standings.
The second option feels more likely, especially with the Bulls sitting at 10-14. But either way, Giddey’s production is giving Chicago fans something to rally around in an otherwise uneven season. He’s not just filling the box score - he’s doing it efficiently, confidently, and with a level of control that suggests he’s only scratching the surface.
If he keeps this up, the Most Improved Player trophy might just find its way back to Chicago for the first time since 2014-15. And even if it doesn’t, the Bulls may have found their next cornerstone in Giddey - a player whose growth could end up being the most important development of the season.