Is Josh Giddey's Future with the Bulls Suddenly Cloudy?

Josh Giddey can be a polarizing player, and he now has to win over an entirely new front office.

Apr 3, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) reacts to a call in the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

When new Chicago Bulls lead executive Bryson Graham divulged his SLAP acronym, fans were quick to speculate about Josh Giddey's future.

In all fairness, why wouldn't they? As if new front office leadership wasn't reason enough to question the future of everyone on the roster, Graham's description of his preferred talent didn't necessarily fit Giddey. Aside from checking the first box (size), the six-foot-eight point guard falls short in the other three departments.

Giddey's wingspan is nearly identical to his height. As for the athleticism, this has been a knock since the pre-draft process. He isn't an explosive player who will beat defenders off the dribble or fly for a poster jam. Does he have pretty good acceleration in the open floor? Sure, but Giddey's IQ and feel for the game have always been his bread-and-butter.

Physicality is another area where Giddey has repeatedly fallen short. With his positional size, many have wanted to see him load up on trips to the free throw line or bully smaller defenders in the paint. In his defense, Giddey has made progress in this department over the last year-plus. His 4.2 trips to the charity stripe in 2026 were a career high. Still, Giddey is far from an aggressive player, and his ability to finish through contact has left a lot to be desired over the years.

These are all valid reasons to question how Graham views the lead guard. The fact of the matter is that he didn't bring in Giddey to be a core piece – the previous front office did. But does that really mean that we should expect the 23-year-old to be on the move any time soon? There is no question that it would be a pretty drastic move during Graham's first offseason.

Josh Giddey Isn't Going Anywhere ... For Now

Mar 27, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) gestures to Chicago Bulls guard Rob Dillingham (7) during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Once again, it's not all that hard to understand why many fans have questions about Josh Giddey's future. He has long been a polarizing talent, and most new executives want to make the roster their own. At the same time, most new executives also sit back to evaluate what they have inherited. And I don't necessarily expect that to be any different for Bryson Graham.

The full expectation should be that Josh Giddey plays the entirety of the 2026-27 campaign in a Bulls uniform. Heck, it's still far more likely than not that he proceeds to finish out the entirety of his contract with the team. To Giddey's credit, he has played some of his best basketball in a Bulls uniform and continues to look like an elite facilitator and dependable rebounder. The improvement of his catch-and-shoot triple has also been huge, allowing him to play more of an off-ball role.

Indeed, even if Graham doesn't consider Giddey to be as valuable a piece as the previous regime, it's hard to imagine he completely gives up on someone with his skills. This is especially true when we consider the rebuilding nature of this organization. The guard still clearly fits with the Bulls' current timeline and, theoretically, has the kind of unselfish style that makes others around him better.

Let's also not forget that Giddey is fresh off an ankle surgery. The Bulls surprisingly announced the procedure for the jumbo guard in early May. He is expected to be ready by the start of training camp, but would now really be the right time to test his market? Most teams are going to want to see him back on the court and looking like his old self before they are comfortable even thinking about a deal.

Nevertheless, this conversation likely isn't going away any time soon. Especially if Graham adds another lead guard-type in the draft, we will have to be prepared for a big, fat can of worms to open up. For the time being, however, there is little reason to believe that Graham has shut the door on a future with Giddey. This is all going to be a process, and evaluating how Giddey fits with his hand-selected talent in 2026-27 will almost certainly be a part of that process.

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