Bulls rumors: Josh Giddey had no ‘meaningful’ contract talks before deadline | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Monday’s deadline passed without guard Josh Giddey getting a contract extension from the Chicago Bulls, and it appears a new contract may never be in the cards for him.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on this week’s episode The Hope Collective (2:58 marks) that “there never really took place any meaningful negotiations there” over an extension for Giddey.

Windhorst called it “a surprise to me” that Chicago and Giddey never made progress toward a new deal because “I thought the Bulls would be under some pressure to get him done because they signed Alex Caruso for had traded him in.”

Caruso was highly rated in the NBA, with one executive telling Windhorst that the now Oklahoma City Thunder guard was worth two first-round picks. Giving up a player of that caliber for perhaps less than a year with Giddey on the roster would be a questionable decision for the Bulls.

Giddey is expected to be in the starting lineup for the Bulls this season. He appeared in four preseason games and recorded more than 10 points in three of them. The fourth-year guard started 80 games for the Thunder last season and averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists, all career lows.

The Bulls could be on the cusp of a rebuilding year. In addition to Giddey, star swingman Zach LaVine is also a likely trade candidate if Chicago gets off to a slow start this season.

The Bulls open the 2024-25 season on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.