Are the Chicago Bulls Inching Closer to a Josh Giddey Return?

Even if the Chicago Bulls do opt for a trade deadline sell-off, the sooner they can get Josh Giddey back on the floor, the better.

Thus far, the guard has rewarded the franchise for acquiring him two offseasons ago. After a solid Year 1 in a Bulls uniform, he inked a four-year, $100 million extension to serve as a key building block. Since then, Giddey has looked like the All-Star-caliber player the Bulls bet that he could be.

The 23-year-old has averaged 19.2 points, 9.0 assists, and 8.9 rebounds over his first 30 games this season. Equally as encouraging, he's shot a career-high 38.6 percent from downtown and has fought his way to the free-throw line for a career-high 5.3 attempts a night. His seven triple-doubles currently rank second in the NBA behind only Nikola Jokic, while his 19 double-doubles are tied for fifth.

All things considered, Giddey truly felt like he could be on his way toward his first-ever All-Star appearance ... but then the injury bug took a bite.

During the Bulls' meeting with the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 29, the guard was forced to leave the game after tweaking his hamstring in the third quarter. While there was initial optimism that he avoided a serious pull, the Bulls eventually announced that Giddey did suffer a strain and would need multiple weeks on the sideline.

Josh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls — Dec 3, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) shoots against Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) during the first half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

He has now gone on to miss the Bulls' last nine games. During that span, they have seen their PACE and AST% drop somewhat drastically, and they have also had some of their lowest scoring nights of the year. They recorded under 100 points in three consecutive games, which included 93 points against the Detroit Pistons, which was their second-lowest total of the season.

Nevertheless, the good news is that things finally appear to be trending in the right direction for Giddey. Head coach Billy Donovan provided an update earlier this week on his primary ball-handler, sharing that he has started to ramp up, and the rehab process has gone very well.

Fast forward to Friday night in Brooklyn, and the positive news kept coming. Donovan reiterated that Giddey is on the right path and even suggested that he could suit up for a practice this weekend:

“There is some hope maybe on Sunday that [Josh] can get into practice with those [G-League] guys and get at least some playing,” Donovan told ClutchPoints. “So far, with the ramp-up that’s started, there’s been no setbacks. I think he feels pretty good. But I’d like to see him get into one of those practices and see where he’s at. But he’s certainly progressing in a good way and I feel good where he’s at.”

K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network also shared some footage of Giddey on the court ahead of the Bulls' meeting with the Nets at Barclays Center. While the guard may not have been doing any running or cutting, it was good to see him getting shots up pre-game for the first time in quite some time.

Josh Giddey progressing pic.twitter.com/sr9TCHWbbt
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 16, 2026

So, is there a date set for his return? Not yet. I can't imagine the Bulls will put a specific timeline on things until he does get a couple of full practices under his belt. But there is no question that things are looking up!

Also, for what it's worth, there is a good chance he is on a tight minutes restriction for at least a few games once he is given the green light. Hamstrings can be tricky, and the last thing they want is to rush him back. This is especially true when we remember that the Bulls could have a few new faces in the building by February 5. If that is the case – or if they are simply leaning more on their young talent post-deadline – they are going to want to see Josh Giddey stay healthy and build chemistry with that cast of characters.