Josh Giddey has already shown Chicago enough to earn the contract, but the next chapter with the Bulls is going to ask something different from him.
Over the past two seasons, he’s shaken off plenty of criticism by becoming a more reliable playmaker and a better perimeter shooter, even if his field-goal efficiency has slipped. In a lot of ways, he’s been the offensive engine for the Bulls during that stretch. That’s a far cry from his days as an Oklahoma City Thunder cast-off, and the four-year, $100 million deal he signed says the organization saw real value in what he became.
Now the landscape in Chicago is shifting around him. The Bulls added Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain through the draft and brought in Norman Powell and Nic Claxton this offseason. Under new lead executive Bryson Graham, the long-term picture is changing, and Giddey is going to have to prove he still fits.
The cleanest path forward is also the toughest one: Giddey may need to score less in 2026-27. If Wilson, Matas Buzelis, and, to some extent, Powell are going to be the primary on-ball options, then Giddey’s job becomes more about feeding the offense than finishing it.
He’d need to operate as a high-volume facilitator, not one of the main scorers. That would be the biggest test of his career so far, and it could go a long way toward determining whether he stays part of Chicago’s future.
On a pure production level, Giddey already has the numbers to back up the payday. In 54 games in 2025-26, he put up 17 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game while hitting 36.4% from 3-point range.
The lingering question, though, is whether he can thrive on a thinner shot diet. Can he still be a major offensive force if his role tilts more toward creating than scoring? That’s what the Bulls are about to find out.
The team’s plans make that challenge even more real. Wilson is expected to get plenty of touches in his rookie season as he adjusts to the league and builds strength.
Buzelis, meanwhile, needs to trim back his 3-point volume and work more downhill into the lane. Those changes are part of their development, but they also mean fewer scoring chances for Giddey.
Powell adds another layer. He carried a 27.2 usage percentage last season with the Miami Heat, so the starting lineup is suddenly a lot more crowded for possessions.
Giddey has shot 45.7% from the field over his two seasons in Chicago while taking 12.2 field goals per game. The playmaking isn’t the issue. The Bulls need his efficiency to climb, with his field-goal mark moving closer to 48 or 49%, helped by stronger perimeter shooting, if he’s going to slot cleanly into this version of the offense.
And if Chicago eventually decides to move him, he won’t be an easy piece to trade. But if he embraces the adjustment and makes those gains in 2026-27, the Bulls may never have to deal with that question at all.
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Matas Buzelis Just Gave Bulls Fans A Reason To Circle Lakers Games
Matas Buzelis is still early in his NBA career, but he already showed he is willing to mix it up with some of the leagues biggest names. In a recent game, the second-year Bulls forward exchanged trash talk with Luka Doncic, a moment that helped turn the matchup into one of those nights that sticks in the memory even after the final buzzer. Buzelis later addressed the moment in an interview, giving a glimpse of the confidence and edge he is bringing into his next chapters with Chicago.
For Bulls fans, the fun part is that this kind of interaction has a way of traveling with a player, especially when the Lakers come back on the schedule. Chicago and Los Angeles are set to meet twice in the 2027 regular season, which gives Buzelis and Doncic another chance to cross paths in a setting that should draw plenty of attention. Whether the banter stays playful or gets a little sharper, its already the kind of subplot that makes those games worth circling. [Read more 🡒]
Rob Dillingham Could Decide How Fast Caleb Wilson Gets Help
Rob Dillingham arrives in Chicago with the kind of upside that can make a front office patient, especially for a team trying to build real support around Caleb Wilson. A top-10 pick out of Minnesota two seasons ago, Dillingham still looks like a young guard whose best value may come from being given the kind of developmental minutes that let his talent settle into a useful NBA role.
For the Bulls, the question is less about whether Dillingham has ability and more about how quickly they want to see it translate into help for Wilson. If Chicago leans into that growth path, Dillingham could eventually become part of the rotation as a steady point guard option, but the timeline remains the part everyone will be watching. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Jordan Relic From The Bulls Last Dance Is About To Test Fans
A game-worn Michael Jordan jersey from the Bulls final championship season is heading to the auction block, giving collectors another crack at one of the most iconic relics from the franchises Last Dance era. Sports investor Rob Gough acquired the piece through an intermediary, and its appeal is obvious: it comes from the closing chapter of Jordans Chicago run, when every item tied to that team has only grown more coveted.
The jersey will be offered by Pharrell Williams Joopiter auction house beginning Sept. 15, and Gough believes the market for it could push into record-setting territory. For Bulls fans, it is the kind of item that carries more than nostalgia. It is a direct link to the championship standard Jordan set in Chicago, and a reminder of how much those final Finals moments still drive the sports memorabilia chase. [Read more 🡒]