Josh Giddey’s $100M Contract Could Be the Bulls’ Biggest Trade Chip This Summer

There is no shortage of trade chatter in the NBA right now. And one of the names swirling around the rumor mill is Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey.

Giddey signed a four-year, $100 million extension last offseason. But that was under the old front office. Now with Tiago Splitter as the new head coach and a new regime in place, that contract is looking more like a bargaining chip than a long-term commitment.

According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Bulls are listening to offers. And one potential deal that has come up in league circles: Giddey to the Charlotte Hornets for Miles Bridges.

“The Bulls have been willing to hear offers coming their way all offseason, including teams inquiring about Giddey’s potential availability,” Siegel reported. “But I have not received any signals that Chicago is fully open to trading him.”

Here’s the thing though. Giddey got paid by the old front office brass. The new decision-makers might not have the same attachment to him. The Bulls also hold the No. 15 pick in this week’s draft, and they could easily use it to address their backcourt depth if Giddey is moved.

The Hornets as a natural landing spot

Charlotte makes sense as a trade partner. Bridges is a versatile forward who can score and create, something the Bulls desperately need after a disappointing season. The Hornets, on the other hand, could use a young playmaker like Giddey to pair with LaMelo Ball.

Bridges is entering the final year of his current deal, so there’s some risk there. But for a Bulls team that missed the playoffs and needs a shakeup, it’s the kind of gamble you can see them taking.

Other teams have reportedly checked in on Giddey too. The Bulls are apparently not shopping him aggressively, but they’re not hanging up the phone either. That’s the kind of posture that usually means a deal is a real possibility closer to draft night.

Splitter’s influence

Splitter spent last season as the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, where he led them to a 42-40 record — their first winning season in five years. He came up under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, so you can expect a motion-heavy offense and serious defensive accountability in Chicago.

Does Giddey fit that system? He’s a 6’8″ guard with elite passing vision but a shaky outside shot. Splitter’s Spurs-style offense demands spacing from everyone. If Giddey can’t knock down threes consistently, he might not be the long-term answer anyway.

Either way, the Bulls front office has some decisions to make before Thursday’s draft. And Giddey’s name is going to stay in the headlines until something happens.