The Bulls and restricted free agent guard Josh Giddey are in agreement on a four-year, $100MM contract, agent Daniel Moldovan tells Shams Charania of ESPN. It’s a fully guaranteed contract with no player or team option, Charania adds.
Reporting throughout the offseason had indicated that Giddey and his camp were seeking an annual salary of $30MM, while the Bulls initially pitched a contract in the neighborhood of $20MM annually. The two sides ultimately compromised right in the middle on a deal worth $25MM per year.
Giddey, who was one of four top restricted free agents still unsigned when September began, will get the most lucrative contract any RFA has signed so far this summer and will become one of just five free agents to receive at least $100MM this offseason, joining Naz Reid, Kyrie Irving, Myles Turner, and Julius Randle.
The sixth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Giddey spent his first three NBA seasons in Oklahoma City, but wasn’t an ideal fit on a Thunder roster that featured star point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The 6’8″ Australian guard was traded to the Bulls during the 2024 offseason straight up for defensive ace Alex Caruso.
Chicago faced plenty of criticism for its decision to send out one of its most valuable trade chips for a player who had just been benched by the Thunder in the postseason, without getting any sort of draft compensation in the deal. But the Bulls were confident in Giddey’s ability to thrive in more of a primary ball-handling role, and he responded with the best year of his career, setting new personal highs in rebounds (8.1) and assists (7.2) per game, as well as three-point percentage (37.8%).
While Giddey had an up-and-down first half in Chicago, he thrived in the second half, particularly after the team traded away Zach LaVine. Between the All-Star break and the end of the season, the 22-year-old nearly averaged a triple-double, with 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 9.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game and a .500/.457/.809 shooting line. His usage rate, which had been 20.2% prior to the All-Star break, was 24.9% the rest of the way, and the Bulls won 12 of those 19 games.
The year-to-year details of Giddey’s new deal aren’t yet known, but the Bulls will have a significant amount of cap flexibility going forward – including a big chunk of cap room in 2026 and/or 2027 – no matter how it’s structured. Prior to Giddey’s agreement, Patrick Williams had been the only player on the roster owed guaranteed money beyond the 2026/27 season.
The Bulls put out a press release announcing Giddey’s new deal shortly after Charania reported it, but have since removed that announcement from their website and their Twitter account. That’s likely a case of the team’s PR staff jumping the gun on the official announcement, not a sign that the agreement has fallen through.
With Giddey re-signing and Nets guard Cam Thomas having accepted his qualifying offer, just two notable restricted free agents still don’t have deals in place: Jonathan Kuminga of the Warriors and Quentin Grimes of the Sixers. They have until October 1 to accept their respective qualifying offers.
Huh? Does Kuminga think he is better than Giddey? Kuminga may have more potential. But after 4 seasons, you get paid on impact. Giddey has better numbers. If he takes the QO, I doubt he gets more than Giddey next off-season.
How do the Warriors and Bulls ownerships not doing their job mean Kuminga thinks he is better than Giddey? Lmao they aren’t even on the same team, going after the same amounts of money!
What does Kuminga have to do with this?
They were/are RFAs from the same class.
I see a comparison.
Giddey doesn’t have better numbers. But whatever.
according to basketballreference:
in 2024-25 Giddey averaged 3.5 more rebounds, 5 more assists, shot 2.1% better FG, 7.3% better on 3s, 9.3% better FT, 3.6% better on eFG, 2.4 higher win%, and 3.4 higher WS. Giddey also averaged .4 more steals, .2 more blocks, and .2 fewer fouls. Giddey played about 6 more mpg. Kuminga averaged 1.4 fewer turnovers and .7 more points.
The per-36 minutes numbers show Giddey better in all the same categories, with Giddey taking fewer shots.
So yeah, Giddey has better numbers
False. Great that you use “per 36 minutes”. But you missed the key stats.
2024-25: KUMINGA 5.2 PTS BETTER THAN GIDDEY
Giddey 17.3 pts
Kuminga: 22.5 pts
2023-24: KUMINGA 5.8 PTS BETTER THAN GIDDEY
Giddey: 17.7 pts
Kuminga: 23.5 pts
link to basketball-reference.com
link to basketball-reference.com
They play different positions so you can’t really compare them. But Kuminga is a scorer. Giddey is not.
You are right. Kuminga took more shots, and missed a lot more than Giddey. Kuminga didn’t draw many defenders. There is a reason that they traded for Butler.
Also, PG Giddey out rebounded SF Kuminga.
> Kuminga took more shots, and missed a lot more than Giddey.
Wrong. Again. Kuminga is a more efficient scorer than Giddey.
CAREER FG%: KUMINGA 4.3 % BETTER THAN GIDDEY
Kuminga: 50.7%
Giddey: 46.4%
CAREER eFG%: KUMINGA 4.3 % BETTER THAN GIDDEY
Kuminga: 55.0%
Giddey: 51.0%
But the most important at contract time is the big games. Chicago is playing garbage games. Against Minnesota Kuminga showed out
FG%: 58% eFG%: 66%
Giddey got pushed down in the rotation in the playoffs for OKC. He wasn’t good enough to play for a contending team.
I guess you don’t pay much attention to the Warriors. Contract time for Kuminga started when he rejected the Warriors offer last October. He was inconsistent the entire season. His shooting was down. He wants to be an All-Star. But, he struggled last season. So, he didn’t do well in contract time.
The Warriors were a lottery team before they traded for Butler. The offense was stagnant. They caught fire when Butler replaced Kuminga. Kuminga only played because Curry was injured.
Another thing. Giddey has played 4 different positions in his NBA career. That can be confusing to a young player.
KD why you yellin
“You can’t compare them” says the person comparing them.
But why did Thunders trade him away? He wasnt even their top 5 player. All his Bulls stats were in garbage time just like Cam Thomas, and so was Kuminga’s postseason stats.
Michol, Two reasons and it worked out perfect for both teams.
The thunder needed a little more toughness. They were made up of great athletes, excellent basketball players, great scorers, slashers, passers.
OKC, needed to be better from 3, like spot up shooter types they could count on to hit a decent percentage.
And then they also could use another Dort type to pick up the overall team defense.
Enter Alex Caruso.
A perfect fit for this team. A grunt who does the dirty work, can hit the three, guard almost any position, and do it well. Doesn’t need the ball in his hands and is just a ball player.
Giddey is best with the ball in his hands. He can create dribble drive pass has great size is creative and makes players around him better.
OK has a couple of those guys. They’re great with the ball in their hands.
It was also time for Giddey to get paid soon. Do You commit to him for $30 million a year or do you fill another hole and let one of your better players go in exchange?
It sure worked out well for both teams.
Warriors were offered the same trade for Kuminga. :(
he was way better numbers but whatever
Yeah, Giddey doesn’t have better numbers, he had much better numbers.
Didnt Giddey have some legal trouble??? Are we all giving him a pass??
The police dropped the case when the parents refused to cooperate.
Pretty sure the parents said the daughter lies so she wouldn’t have much to go from there.
wow, that’s awful. “the woman lies” is such fascist country-speak
“Pretty sure,” huh? Well don’t do anything rash like confirm things before posting it on a message board.
Not getting paid to research on message board so I don’t care enough and the case was over a year ago. Read it somewhere at that time.
Giddey impact is for half a season….. less. Since all star break. A second contract for a lottery pick. Is still all about potential. He may not have it for GS. Cause this is OVER. Warriors are all in on Horford, Melton. Payton. Has nothing to do with what Giddey does. Its QO then trade.
You should be thinking about the return on Kuminga.
Lets go mate!
ABOUT MF TIME!!!! THANK YOU BULLS
I said a month ago the Bulls and Giddey should pull their pants up and sign for 4-100 million. So why the drama?
They didn’t have your phone number so they had no idea what to do. Make sure you leave them your card.
Everbody knew Bulls had to pay Giddey 25 mill
Bulls start off in June with 4 years at 20 mill. Rejected.
Then in August they offer 4 years at 22.5 mill. Rejected.
Then in Sept they offer 4 years at 25 mill. Accepted.
Great negotiating
Could have prevented all of this by saying yes the first time lol
Obviously not aware of the situation. Bulls had the cards. Giddey wanted 30 million but because no other team besides the Bulls could offer more than 22 he was stuck. 25 was a fair deal.
Fid Giddey get dozens of offers from other teams, lol?
Easy Squeeze!!!!
Finally a deal that makes sense.
@davey j…Huh? How has the Warriors and Bulls ownership failed. It is pretty easy to understand. Giddey has put up better numbers throughout his career. Without knowing the details, Giddey’s contract sets the market. Kuminga has to outperform Giddey to get more. He wasn’t exactly stellar last season. Giddey’s contract probably puts downward pressure.
This doesn’t set the market. Those are two different positions asked to do completely different things.
The position is kinda irrelevant. Giddey has still put up better numbers.
Saying their position is irrelevant is moronic.
Ok, let’s play your game. Head to head comparison. Kuminga is a SF. Giddey is a PG. Guess who rebounds better. Guess who is the better scorer.
I would say that Kuminga shouldn’t get more than $25 million if Giddey got that.
Why do Warriors fans care lols. He is never playing for Warriors . Why can’t we let go …… OMG
So you are saying he will hold out all year. that is a new one.
Who is holding out lol. I know you are not this ignorant. I have said it since season ended. He is doing what Warriors want him to do. Signing his QO. So Warriors can sign the players they really want. Kuminga is gone. The sooner the better for GS. I haven’t changed one word in 2 years. You can live in the fantasy world all you want. Nothing has changed since season ended. I will celebrate the day he is traded.
Only problem is no team wants to trade for him unless its for cast offs. If he is traded it will be more around trade deadline. Right now his value is at an all time low and no team wants him.
Giddey is not being asked to defend the opposing team’s best offensive scorer out on the perimeter as much as Kuminga.
That’s an apples and oranges comparison and you know it.
But PG is the more important position so not sure you’re helping your own argument lol.
@Giants74. If you can’t find any numbers that work then just make stuff up.
The market has been set by Quickley and Suggs.
Why do you care about a player who is leaving. Kuminga is signing the QO and he is GONE. Move on lol. What Warriors need is a good return on Kuminga. Look to the future.
Have fun staying in mediocrity for another five years
Wow, the Bulls did something competent! Should have done a 5-year deal, probably, but this one with no player options is a good contract.
Agreed but not outta the woods yet – This should be structured high to low but somehow I feel it won’t be
OKC says thanks for the Giddey deal. We won a championship because of it!!!
25m a season…..bad move. This is who you are building your team around haha. Feel bad for Bulls fans now
Incredible bargain for the Bulls!!!
About time
El Don Always Wrong, I wouldn’t go overboard like that. Nice player, nice contract, good deal for both sides.
Incredible? Not really. A bargain for the bulls? That neither. It’s just a good solid deal.
Gary, solid take.
I put Giddey in the “high bottom, low ceiling” category at this point. I don’t see him ever becoming a top 10 point guard, but he’ll have a solid career. And, unlike with the Thunder, he fits in Chicago.
He’s a gifted passer and playmaker.
Decent team defender, but lacks lateral quickness.
He got hot from deep at the end of last season, but he’s a career 33% 3pt shooter, and his shooting mechanics have always looked off. If he can become a 36% 3 point shooter, Chicago will be happy.
Thank God the Bulls kept him, at least they’re doing SOMETHING right for once…
Can or will Jerry resign White or try find another home for Williams. Which will require sending out much needed picks?
Hopefully they can trade him for draft picks later in the year
Let’s hope they went high to low on pay structure here
I like the deal for Chi
Crunch- I’m thinking the 4 years go something like 22-24-26-28?
28-26-24-22
Kuminga doesn’t have more potential.
Giddey is someone who is not perfect but makes the team better and gets others involved.
Kuminga is a ball hog who is concerned about his stats and has negative effect on his team. This is the reason he has not yet been signed and has been benched during last season.
In the regular season I agree. But in the postseason Giddey was a liability which is why OKC traded him.
Giddey asked for a trade. He was also redundant with Williams and Shai. That’s why he was traded.
Yup
the bulls deleted their twitter post, as well as the press release on their website, about re-signing Giddey. it’s not official on the NBA transaction log either.
Ut oh…, perhaps a little premature with the announcement by the bulls?
Something in the FinePrint Giddey’s team didn’t like?
There was talk of downward movement on the annual figures and perhaps that was an issue? Can’t imagine it would fall apart at the 11th hour?
my guess is that they accidentally announced it too soon before actually making things official. but then again, the press release is still up on nba.com… just not the bull’s own website. who knows?
Thanks for the heads-up. I’ve updated the story to reflect that.
This took too long imo. Maybe Bulls were trying to see what deals were out there. ?????? maybe. I can tell you they were fools to pass on Queen and Sorber. Not sure Bulls even run an offense for Giddey. Looks to me they are mimicking the Thunder offense. We all know how that works for Giddey. I would have taken a PO on last yr. Its a fair deal for both. Bulls can easily move him if they want to next year.
link to yardbarker.com
Kuminga has more potential than Giddey imo. But he hasn’t proven that yet. And won’t until he leaves the Warriors.
Grimes won’t be signed till Sixers cut salary. Or they will sing him then will have to make a trade in season.
He should get around 12-15 mill.
I don’t get why Nets just don’t give him 30 mill two yrs. Let him start at SG.