The Chicago Bulls, after fizzling out of the NBA Play-In Tournament and failing to get any lottery luck once again, face an offseason full of questions. What do they do about their soon-to-be pricy stars? What can they do with the current core on the roster? Is it time to go all-in or tear it down and rebuild a sustainable, good contender?
Those questions and so many more haunt this Bulls team, but one thing remains a priority. According to Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale, the biggest thing is not overpaying for Josh Giddey, one of those aforementioned stars that’s going to cost a lot soon.
NBA insider says Josh Giddey’s contract shouldn’t be huge for Chicago Bulls
According to reports, Josh Giddey, who is a restricted free agent this year, is expected to land a five-year, $150 million contract from Chicago. Other teams might bid him up, but his restricted status means that the Bulls can and probably will match offer sheets.
Dan Favale says that fans better hope that it’s a smokescreen of a report and that Chicago isn’t aiming to pay that. “Average annual salaries of $30 million per year aren’t what they used to be, but they’re still close to 20 percent of the cap. Giddey isn’t a good enough starting point guard to command that much,” he said.
Favale praised Giddey’s size and vision, and noted that he shot the ball well from three. “Opposing teams don’t care about guarding him on the perimeter, he doesn’t have the blow-by speed or craft around the basket to make them pay, and his own defense is bad enough that he almost exclusively needs to be stashed against slower, bigger players,” the insider countered.
Plus, Chicago might not have much competition. The temptation to lock up Giddey, who was very good in his one year with the team, might be there, and they may want to make sure he accepts and stays for a long time, hence the five years and $150 million. But the market doesn’t indicate that Giddey will be all that expensive or highly sought after unless someone, like the Brooklyn Nets, decides to just go for it.
“Just like last year with Patrick Williams, the Bulls hold all the cards. They folded in those previous negotiations anyway, giving Williams a five-year pact that has aged into one of the NBA’s least attractive contracts,” Favale finished. He doesn’t want to see Chicago make another “inexplicable” contract mistake this offseason.
Bulls lottery target compared favorably to Rockets superstar
Read MoreFor More Great Chicago Sports Content
Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
