As Chicago Bulls Face Meltdown, Josh Giddey's Recent Ranking is a Needed Sign of Hope

Nobody on the Chicago Bulls deserves a cookie ... but maybe Josh Giddey can get a crumb or two?

Off to a 10-15 start and 2-9 in their last 11 games, the Bulls have been in full-blown meltdown mode. Their defense has remained among the least effective in the NBA, specifically when it comes to protecting the rim. The Pelicans are one night removed from scoring 60 points in the paint in their second victory over Chicago this season. They dropped an opponent high 78 points in the paint during their first win.

As for the offensive side of the ball, things have only gotten worse. Chicago's assumed bread-and-butter, we have seen this group completely unravel at the first sign of adversity. Initially killing teams with their tempo, depth, and unselfish ball movement, the Bulls have scored 105 points or fewer in five of their last seven games. In this same span, they have seen their assist-percentage fall out of the Top 10 and their effective field goal percentage rank 25th in the NBA.

Yes, Josh Giddey obviously deserves some flak for this recent collapse. Nobody should avoid criticism, particularly the man who is tasked with being the lead ball-handler. At the same time, if we are dishing out pieces of blame pie, his slice deserves to be a little skinnier than some others.

A second baked-good metaphor? He must be hungry!

Josh Giddey has remained under the national spotlight since the team's hot 6-1 start. He is third in the league in triple-doubles and one of only three players this season who have compiled 200+ assists, joining All-NBA-caliber players Nikola Jokic and Cade Cunningham.

Overall, he is averaging career-highs across the board with 20.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists on 47.8 percent shooting from the field and 39.8 percent shooting from downtown. Cleaning the Glass even gives him a +5.5 on/off efficiency differential, which is by far the best since his +0.3 mark recorded during his rookie year.

These strong numbers have made it very hard to ignore Giddey despite the Bulls' woes, especially when we consider that he is still only 23 years old. But don't take my word for it!

Josh Giddey Lands on ESPN's Top 25 Under 25

Josh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls — Dec 12, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) drives to the basket against Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green (10) during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

ESPN released their Top 25 NBA players under 25 years old this past weekend, and Josh Giddey made the cut!

The Chicago Bulls' guard checks in at No. 23 overall, sitting in front of former 2024 No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard (Houston) and former 2023 No. 5 overall pick Ausar Thompson (Detroit). Some of the players ahead of him on the list include: Alex Sarr (Washington), Jalen Suggs (Orlando), Dyson Daniels (Atlanta), VJ Edgecombe (Philly), and Dylan Harper (San Antonio), respectively.

Considering the guard was unranked last season, this feels like a small win for Giddey and the Bulls amid a tumultuous season. It serves as a good reminder that, as bad as things are right now, the organization does appear to have a piece worth building around. Even better, they signed that piece to an extremely palatable four-year, $100 million contract this past offseason.

We can all accept that Giddey isn't the perfect player. There are reasons he isn't higher on this list, and at least one of those is due to a genuine question about his ability to consistently impact winning. I'm also always willing to hear out anyone who worries about this franchise's ability to maximize Giddey's development and put him in a position to succeed. It's extremely hard to trust this front office.

Nevertheless, isn't getting talent in the building most important? And since when did a 23-year-old need to have it all figured out? It's acceptable and expected to have questions about who Giddey can become for this franchise, but it's also ok to be simultaneously optimistic about the individual growth we have seen thus far. Whether it be increased efficiency behind the arc, an uptick in free-throw line visits, or the career-high on/off numbers, Giddey is giving the Bulls a tiny dab of icing on an otherwise disgusting-tasting cake.

A third one!? Get this guy a pastry, already! He must be famished!