Josh Giddey Reportedly Out for Extended Time, Chicago Bulls Now Searching for Answers

The Chicago Bulls received some troubling news on Wednesday night.

A little over 24 hours after Josh Giddey exited the Bulls' 136-101 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, news broke that he has suffered a left hamstring strain. Giddey sustained the injury early in the third quarter of Tuesday night's battle at the United Center, motioning to the bench for a timeout before heading to the locker room.

The Bulls initially listed Giddey's injury as hamstring tightness on the NBA's official injury report. While he was ruled out for Thursday night's game against the New Orleans Pelicans, the designation at least inspired some hope that the jumbo guard had avoided a serious injury.

Nevertheless, ESPN's Shams Charania shared later in the day that Giddey did actually suffer a strain, which is now expected to sideline him for "at least a few weeks." Bulls PR proceeded to confirm the elevated injury status, per K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network.

Josh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls — Dec 14, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) looks to pass the ball against New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (2) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The moment Giddey limped off the floor is the same moment this exact concern set in. Hamstring injuries are notorious for being pesky, and his reaction to what transpired sure made it appear as if the issue could be more severe than tightness.

All things considered, this is why it will be important to monitor Giddey's progress over the next two weeks. While the hope is that he will be back on the floor by the end of January, we cannot rule out the 23-year-old missing even more time. Again, hamstring injuries seem to work at their own pace.

If one thing is for sure, the news could not come at a worse time for the Bulls. They had recently righted the wrongs of their eight losses in nine games, rattling off an impressive five-game winning streak. Giddey was a major part of that success, as he has continued to post career-high numbers this season and spearhead the Bulls' uptempo, unselfish offensive identity.

Giddey had been playing so well that he legitimately entered the All-Star conversation. The first fan voting returns showed the guard within the East's Top 15. Even if he failed to earn a starting spot, there is little doubt that his 19.2 points, 9.0 assists, and 9.0 rebounds have made a strong impression on the head coaches.

So, what will Giddey's absence mean for the Bulls over the next few weeks? Staying competitive will be that much harder, as Giddey's playmaking ability has been the backbone of this team all season long. With that in mind, it's hard not to wonder if Giddey's injury could prove to be what pushes the Bulls' front office to pursue a full-blown trade deadline sell-off. Three weeks is not a short chunk of time, and there is a good chance the Bulls will be well outside the competitive picture by then.

The only good news for the Bulls is that they are deepest in the backcourt. While Giddey's skills are hard to replace. Tre Jones is another highly respected and efficient distributor. There is a very good chance that he takes over the lead guard duties for the foreseeable future, only making the Bulls' decision to re-sign him this season look that much better.

Of course, Giddey's absence also opens the door further for Ayo Dosunmu. The 25-year-old is bound to see his minutes increase, and he now has a massive opportunity to step in as a reliable facilitator and tone-setter. It will be a great opportunity to further bolster his value in either the trade market or unrestricted free agency this summer.

As for Coby White, his status remains unclear. The Bulls have also ruled him out for New Year's Eve with right calf tightness. Fans are crossing their fingers that a similar report doesn't soon follow that forces White to also miss multiple weeks. Assuming he is able to go before Giddey returns, there is no question he will see the most significant change to his workload. White will have to take on more of a floor-general role and help ensure this pass-happy offense doesn't take too huge a step back.

Regardless, if there is a silver lining to this recent Giddey development, it might end up being that Arturas Karnisovas and Company come to their sense sooner rather than later. Many believe that the Bulls should use this looming deadline to build for the future, and another extended losing streak could leave them no choice. The chances of that happening without Giddey on the floor are – unfortunately ... and somewhat fortunately – that much higher.