Josh Giddey Contract Prediction: Does He Stay With The Chicago Bulls? What Deal Will He Sign?

Josh Giddey Contract Prediction: Does He Stay With The Chicago Bulls? What Deal Will He Sign?

Let’s start with Josh Giddy because I think his situation is really interesting and fun. Um, Giddy is a really, you know, interesting player. Obviously, a very high level on ball passer creator. The question is, is he quite good enough to be that passer creator for a genuinely great team? And can he consistently play off the ball? That’s the two things that he answers. I I got to see Josh work out uh earlier this week and very clearly working on like catching and shooting. Catching and shooting like that. That’s a big piece for him it feels like right now. So uh we will, you know, we’ll see if he can translate it. That that’s ultimately the key for him. If he can translate that, he becomes a guy that’s worth a ton of money in my opinion. But, uh, you know, until he proves that, I think that proves that he can get closed out on consistently and make defenders rotate out to him consistently, thus allowing him to get into the paint and continue to take advantage of his passing ability. I think there might be some questions. Also, doesn’t help that Oklahoma City traded him and won the title this year. But, he did close the season incredibly well. you know, a guy that once they traded Zack Lavine, really came on at a substantial level. You can look at the numbers from basically, I would say, February 2nd onward. He averaged 20 points, 9.5 rebounds, and eight assists, which is bonkers, guys. over the course of his final 25 games shot 49 45 and 80 from the line that three-point percentage was on 4.5 attempts per game from three if so so let me start here if I was his representation and I have averaged 14 points seven and a half rebounds six assists versus 2.7 turnovers shot 463376. Based off of current contracts leaguewide, I would absolutely be asking for $30 million a year. That that’s just the reality. Like statistically, he is a like that those are numbers that get paid $30 million a year. Like Emanuel Quickley is getting paid what, like $35 million a year. 325. It’s in that ballpark. Um 325 and the year before he signed that deal, he averaged 174 and five, right? And shot the ball better, which is a critical thing. And he’s a little bit better defensively, but like that that’s a big number. And you can look at, you know, Jaylen Suggs, totally different player, but like worse numbers, drastically better on defense, obviously. like you know the the issue for teams right now is that I think teams are looking at these contracts and saying that they are among the least valued in the league. And on top of it with all of these situations it goes without saying that there is an immense leverage imbalance here because nobody has cap space leaguewide right now. So I guess that where I will start this for you is how does this get done is my question. Like to me this feels like by far the most likely to just be like look this is going to be it feels like it’s going to be Chicago, right? Like it feels like he should stay in Chicago. They traded Alex Guso for him. Really valuable asset. He played exceptionally well down the stretch for them. There’s just a lot of synergy to keep him in Chicago and to continue to let this build and grow. He’s still incredibly young. Like I think that that’s what people really don’t understand. Like Josh Giddy is still 22 years old. Like he is so young and has played four years in the NBA already. There’s got to be a middle ground here somewhere. And I feel like it’s going to be with the Bulls. I just don’t I don’t have that yet. I guess I mean that was going to be my answer is I think how we get there is both sides give a little and I I think both sides probably have a motivation to do so I think if you’re Josh Giddy’s side that you just have to look at locking in the type of money you know it’ll be interesting to see what number you came up with but like the number I ended up at is is a pretty big number still if you’re the Bulls you have to be motivated cuz at the end of the day the guy you traded for him to the Oklahoma City Thunder that won the NBA championship was a huge part of that run. Like every everything we said when that trade happened is kind of how it played out. You know, like Giddy probably, you know, played more minutes and, you know, we were more positive on that deal when it happened for Chicago than I think a lot of people were. We still thought that like this this what’s happening right now was ultimately the issue of this deal for Chicago. But like the player like we thought that it’s it’s fine to get this player for Alex Caruso. I I think what’s hard for Giddy is for me with Giddy is kind of the stuff you outlined is how do you pay a player when you don’t know exactly what their role is? There’s no questioning he’s a productive NBA player at this point, right? You just you just outlined the numbers. And even in Oklahoma City, he had a year where he averaged 16 and a half points, eight rebounds, six assists, and less than three turnovers. the three-point percentage going up while on higher volume is really encouraging. And that’s what makes this tough because if you’re giddy, you’re saying, “I’m still an ascending player that based on my three-point percentage and my game, I I can I can be part of a winner.” Like, because I don’t have to play on the ball all the time. If I was Chicago, I think it might have more to do with the other end of the floor as well, like how far can he get defensively to make me feel good about that. But these are the type of players that it’s hard. This is why three of these guys I understand why they don’t have a deal in some way and the fourth guy I don’t because I know exactly I feel like I know exactly who Quinton Grimes is and who he isn’t and kind of what his role is. With these other three guys I think there’s a to use your term a bigger delta. And I do think the delta of what Josh Giddy is is can be quite large because it’s what is the role? Can he play off the ball? Can you play him defensively? What does that all mean on a team that’s just kind of competing? What does it mean on a title contender? There’s all of those things. But at the end of the day, I do think that this is the one where I came to the number the quickest while also acknowledging that that will require both sides to give a little bit. So, what I think makes sense here is I think that there it depends on structure to me, right? Like if I’m giddy, do I just prefer a three-year deal if they’re not going to give me $30 million a year, right? If I am Chicago, am I holding firm at doing a four-year deal? Like, I I want him for four years. The other thing with Giddy worth remembering here is the age. Again, if it’s a four-year deal, he’s still hitting free agency again at 26 years old. Yeah. So, like we’ll still be incredibly incredibly young. Like Cam Johnson didn’t hit free agency basically until he was 27 I think, right? So like he will be younger than Cam Johnson was the first time Cam Johnson hit free agency basically. So it’s it’s complicated by that as well. Giddy doesn’t really need to go shorter to re-enter the market. Yeah. Like he if he goes four years, he’s just re-entering the market at a really high level anyway. Like he’s re-entering the market for four years. 27 28 29. So three years of, you know, pre30 production, right? Like pre-age 30 production. What you have, you said you have the number. What is your number here? I I I just wrote down four for 100 and I feel like that’s giddy giving a little bit. the bowls coming up. I think, you know, whenever I looked at kind of what some of the reports were, but to me, I think that’s manageable if you’re Chicago and if you’re giddy, you can say, I got nine figures, you know, like that that’s and so like that’s the number that struck me, you know, even as opposed to four for 90. Well, it’s it’s not the same as, you know, that’s eight figures, not nine figures. But if you’re Chicago, maybe you feel like you quote unquote won because you you didn’t get to that $30 million a year number and you locked it in for four years. I think 400 makes sense. I would almost want like a mutual option on that. Sure. Sure. So I was thinking club option, but then if I’m giddy, I’m like, “No, screw you. I’m coming down.” mutual option is a little more interesting. Yeah. Like I I would almost want the ability to get out on like both sides kind of after four if I’m doing four 100, right? But if I’m giddy, like I I I want the full hundred, you know what I mean? Like I don’t want to play around with that. uh like I I don’t want to look at this and be like, “Oh no, like I’m sitting here, you know, at the end of year three and maybe I got hurt or something and I I’m in a problematic situation.” Right? So Josh has made 27 million already. So like he’d be up over 100 if it’s, you know, right around 75 million or so. I wonder if the play is something like this is where I wonder if three years like makes sense for everybody. Like is there just like a higher AAV three-year deal like 380 or something where nobody’s locked in? But [Music] I I don’t I don’t know. Like if I’m Chicago, like I don’t want to do that. I want to lock him in for like if I’m looking at him as my point guard of the future, like I I kind of want that. And then like the other piece of this too is, you know, something that got brought up in the comments. They got burned on the Patrick Williams contract and they haven’t paid Kobe White yet. They can’t pay Kobe because his number I think is too low comparatively uh to where his market will be because you can only rise the salary by like 14% and he makes or 140%. He makes $11 million a year or so. So I think they’re right to haggle on this and I think they’re right to hold the line on this. It’s just very It’s a very It see like this is one that’s way more complicated to me than like Cam Thomas even because there are a lot of really movable factors here in the negotiation where 30 million like could not like might not look great and then 25 million might not look great for Kaminga or for Giddy I’m sorry in a second here. like if he plays if he averages 20 10 and nine again like he did for the final 25 games like it doesn’t look great for him. So I I just don’t I don’t know what the number is. But like if I’m giddy I definitely want real security here. Like I want at least three years of you know 25 million or something. But if I’m Chicago I’m looking at the marketplace and I’m like who the going to offer him 20 million right now? Like nobody’s there to do it. So, I get it. But also, if you’re Chicago, you know, playing this out, right, you’re theoretically a team that wants to contend this year. And if I’m giddy, like, I’m probably willing to like just miss games, right? It’s not like you’re getting fined or anything. Like, you’re not under contract. So, I I’m probably willing to like sit here in restricted free agency even into the season if I have to and be like, well, okay, Chicago, you want to win games. You don’t have enough margin for error to actually like make the playin and not have Josh Giddy for 10 games this year, probably. So, I wonder if that deadline kind of comes in and becomes a real factor here. Yeah, it is. the restricted free agency thing is just is so fascinating uh because of the leverage it does give the team because you know and we’ll talk about it with these other guys in terms of what the qualifying offer is and what it means to try to play on that and it’s you know it’s such a huge bet you know one-year bet on yourself in regards to that I I just I continue to go back to that number and just feel like man that that it’s it’s a big number for a guy who like you said I mean at the end of the Hey, Giddy still got traded away from a team that went on to win the title without him. Like, I mean, the way it played out the year before, they made the move and it ended up being a smart move. As productive as he is and all of the compliments we’ve given him, and rightfully so, you know, it was this the sample size was really good last year, but it was a small sample size. And so, maybe you’re right, Sam. Maybe it is. Maybe maybe Giddy does just decide he wants a shorter deal. thinks he’s really gonna, you know, if he really pops and then, you know, he gets to hit the market again and, you know, look for an even even bigger payday. But I I just think at the end of the day, if Chicago was willing to come up a little bit in regards to that, turning down something with the total value of something like that, I mean, such life-changing money that it it would be hard to turn down. But I I understand these guys when they want to bet on themselves and the shorter deal and all of that. So, I bring all of this up to say like I kind of played devil’s advocate with you on the number, right? I had the exact same number. I think 400 is probably the play here for everybody. Like you said, he gets to say, I have nine figures. I have 127 million locked in the bank. Nobody can take that from me at that point. Chicago still has real upside on that deal if he continues to develop as a shooter and continues to develop on defense. The other thing I will say on Giddy is like he his defense gets hit a lot, right? Like people will bring that up. I don’t think it is as catastrophic as others do. He is very big. Yeah. like being 6’8 gives you so much flexibility to be able to like play him against weaker opponents frankly uh and just gives him a lot of leeway when he’s like playing in recovery and things like that right like there are things he has to work on like getting through screens and being able to do things right like I I would like to see him more than anything continue to develop as a shooter which we saw late in the year where he just like got smoldering hot and extremely confident. He drilled 38% on the hole from three this year on 278 attempts. I would like to see him solidify that at the end of the day. C can I throw out a wild comment and just see what you think? Is there any reg like from the player perspective? I’ll just be honest, like if I’m giddy, I don’t know that I want to be in Chicago based on how this organization has done things. Well, I disagree with this, but I understand where you’re going with it. Is there any thought process? Listen, I I it just kind of popped in my head and so I’m I’m sure you’re going to talk me out of it. Is there any thought process to signing a contract that’s more tradable so that you can get out of there and go to somewhere else that is potentially more favorable? I think 25’s pretty tradable, but more than anything. No, that’s what I’m saying. I’m saying that like is is that m would you be a little bit more willing to come down because like if Giddy signed four for let’s go outrageous four for 140, right? That’s not getting traded. 51 140. Let’s go. Okay, there. Sure. That’s not getting traded. Agreed. No, no, that that’s a that’s a deal that has some downside and I think would be very wary. So, if I’m giddy, is there any ounce of, you know what, I’ll go four for a 100red because part of me doesn’t mind if I’m a tradable asset and contract because then I can go get to an organization that I would rather play for anyway or is that completely asinine way of thinking? I think if I’m giddy, I want to get to run the show for somebody like I I think that’s where I’d be right now. like and Chicago’s letting you run the show. Really get a chance to be like, “Okay, I am the point guard here. I have the ball in my hands all the time. I just went on a 20 guy 25 game stretch where I averaged 20110 and nine or whatever it was, right?” Like, if I’m in his head right now, I’m thinking I’ve proven on some level by getting them to the playin that I deserve to have the ball in my hands. And I I think that that’s where I would be. I I would want to have the ball in my hands and prove that I can be that guy. I I guess but I guess I’m saying that as well, S. So like I’m saying I’m not saying trade right now. I’m saying like a 18 months from now, maybe 12 months from now. Like let’s say he goes out and does 2010 and n this whole year. Like that’s one of the most that’s an insanely valuable contract player, you know? So, so this is one of those things that you and I think about as being interesting, and I think it’s one of those things that players just can’t think about. I I I agree. I just I couldn’t help but like it couldn’t help but pop into my head. It’s probably stupid. I don’t think you can really do it. It would just was something I thought about as like, man, he signs four for 100 and balls out this year. We’re going to be talking about him on every potential trade target episode we do. Yeah, it’s possible. But like I think that you got to have like 10 toes down where you are kind of thing to be successful at the end of the day. You can’t be looking at it and being like, “Oh, I’m trying to get traded.” 100%. That’s true. That’s fair is the reality. I knew you would talk me out of it. Yeah. But look, 400 is the number I came up with. I think it’s a win for everybody if he gets 400. Um, but again, if I was his representation, I understand wanting a little bit more than that. Like maybe it’s 4105, maybe it’s 4, you know, 107 or something. Like I somewhere in the four for 100ish ballpark feels right to me. Yep.

How will contract negotiations with Josh Giddey & the Chicago Bulls end?

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