Josh Giddey Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bulls Offered Giddey $80MM Deal At Start Of Free Agency

August 11th, 2025 at 7:43am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls made guard Josh Giddey a four-year contract offer worth $80MM when free agency began on June 30, league sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Multiple reports dating back to last October have indicated that Giddey’s asking price is in the range of $30MM per year, so Chicago’s offer fell well short of that benchmark.

While the two sides have had nearly a month-and-a-half since free agency opened to try to bridge the gap, the Bulls have been “anchored” in the neighborhood of $20MM annually since making that initial offer, Fischer writes.

As a restricted free agent, Giddey can’t sign outright with another team, but he has drawn sign-and-trade interest from a handful of Eastern Conference teams, according to Fischer, who reiterates that the Warriors also have genuine interest in the 22-year-old, as he previously reported.

However, Fischer acknowledges that there doesn’t appear to be a “feasible pathway” to a trade that gets Giddey to Golden State, and the other teams with interest in the former sixth overall pick also haven’t made any headway. The Bulls have “messaged for some time” that they’re not looking to seriously engage in sign-and-trade discussions about Giddey, says Fischer.

Giddey got off to a slow start in his first season as a Bull after being acquired from Oklahoma City in exchange for Alex Caruso, but finished strong, particularly after the team traded Zach LaVine to Sacramento. Between the start of February and the end of the regular season, Giddey averaged 20.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game with a shooting line of .491/.451/.801 across 25 outings.

As we noted last week when we outlined the key dates and deadlines for restricted free agents, there are no deadlines on tap in August or September. RFAs have until October 1 to decide whether or not to accept their one-year qualifying offers (Giddey’s is worth $11.1MM), though that deadline can be pushed back if the team and player work out an agreement.

While it’s rare for so many top restricted free agents to remain unsigned this late in the offseason, it’s not uncommon for one or two RFA standoffs to extend well into the summer. A year ago, Isaac Okoro eventually re-signed with the Cavaliers on September 17; two years ago, P.J. Washington re-signed with the Hornets on August 29; three years ago, Collin Sexton and Jordan Nwora didn’t resolve their restricted free agencies until September.

Warriors Have Interest In Sign-And-Trade For Josh Giddey

August 7th, 2025 at 8:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

In a recent live stream for Bleacher Report (video link), Jake Fischer discussed the current stalemate surrounding both the Bulls with Josh Giddey and the Warriors with Jonathan Kuminga, neither of which he expects to come to an end anytime soon. During that stream, Fischer reported that there is interest, at least from the Warriors’ end, in a double sign-and-trade that could solve both problems simultaneously.

“I can report that there have been multiple teams that have reached out to Josh Giddey’s representation about having interest in [him],” Fischer said. “Golden State is one of them. Golden State would be interested, depending on how the machinations would go, in some kind of Josh Giddey-Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade, to my understanding.”

Of course, a sign-and-trade needs both sides to be interested, and Fischer notes that doesn’t appear to be the case at the moment. “The Bulls have been telling teams… that they don’t want to talk sign-and-trade,” he said.

According to Fischer, Chicago does have a longstanding interest in Kuminga, though it’s unclear to what extent. While the Bulls haven’t made an “aggressive pursuit” of Kuminga to this point, they remain on the periphery of the situation.

“They made outreach to Golden State early in the offseason about Kuminga, they’ve talked about Kuminga in various trade conversations with the Warriors in the past when Golden State was checking in on Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso and other things,” Fischer says.

A double sign-and-trade is a difficult maneuver to pull off, as the rules regarding base year compensation mean that the salaries going out would only count for 50% of their annual average value to the team trading them, but would count fully for the team receiving the player. Since that would apply to both the Bulls and Warriors in such a deal, any double sign-and-trade would almost certainly necessitate at least one more team getting involved.

The Warriors were prepared to draft Giddey in 2021 if Kuminga were selected ahead of their No. 7 pick, per Fischer, and they’ve since maintained their interest in the 6’8″ guard. Fischer also notes that the Warriors have attempted to negotiate with this Bulls regime before, citing the 2023 deadline, when the Warriors reportedly made multiple first-round picks available in a potential deal for Caruso.

He adds that rival teams feel that the Bulls are not generally forthcoming in trade negotiations, at times to the point of inscrutability.

“Other teams don’t want to talk that business with Chicago, and they know Chicago doesn’t really want to make sign-and-trade scenarios come to fruition for Josh Giddey after turning Caruso into Giddey directly with no other draft capital coming back,” Fischer said.

Even if the Warriors and Bulls don’t make any sort of deal this offseason, that may not close the door on the idea of Kuminga eventually ending up in Chicago, Fischer adds: “There still is some hope from Kuminga’s side that the Bulls could factor into his situation right now, and there is also some hope to my understanding from Kuminga’s side that if he were to take the qualifying offer and reach unrestricted free agency next year, the Bulls… are going to be major players with cap space.”

Fischer’s Latest: RFAs, Warriors, White, Young, Celtics

August 7th, 2025 at 7:02pm CST by Rory Maher

During Thursday’s Bleacher Report live stream (YouTube link), NBA insider Jake Fischer reiterated multiple times that he expects the four primary restricted free agents — Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors), Josh Giddey (Bulls), Quentin Grimes (Sixers) and Cam Thomas (Nets) — to continue to be in contract standoffs with their respective teams for some time.

“Again, we are still in a holding pattern with all these restricted free agents, and we are — at this juncture — expecting all those situations to linger deeper into August and get into September as well,” Fischer said. “Don’t expect a resolution for Jonathan Kuminga, for Josh Giddey, for Quentin Grimes, for Cam Thomas, anytime soon.”

According to Fischer, the Warriors haven’t shown any interest in what the Kings and Suns have offered in sign-and-trade scenarios for Kuminga. But they also don’t want to lose the former lottery pick for nothing in return.

“Jonathan Kuminga’s side, I believe, right now, would be willing to take a two-plus-one with a player option three-year deal,” Fischer said. “I think that Jonathan Kuminga’s side would take this one-plus-one situation with Golden State — this two-year, $45MM offer that’s been on the table — if he were to get a player option in year two.

“But I was told yesterday from various sources that Golden State is going to be holding firm … that second year is going to be a team option. And that’s kinda where this staring contest is at.”

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Warriors currently have only nine players signed to standard contracts, with the Kuminga stalemate continuing to hold up their other offseason business. Fischer suggested that Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, and Gary Payton II are likely to be signed after Kuminga’s situation is resolved. Malcolm Brogdon and Seth Curry remain on Golden State’s radar as well, according to Fischer, with Javonte Green another player mentioned.
The Bulls are monitoring Coby White‘s upcoming free agency, Fischer said. White will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026, and Fischer noted that there has been talk of White wanting a contract that exceeds $30MM annually. That expectation may be factoring into the calculation of Chicago playing a level of hardball with Giddey’s restricted free agency.
Thomas looks the most likely of the four RFAs to accept his qualifying offer, Fischer confirmed. The high-scoring guard views himself as a $30MM+ per year player, but the Nets haven’t approached that figure and have only offered him short-term deals to this point, Fischer said.
While Fischer confirmed the latest reports on Trae Young‘s disappointment at the lack of an extension offer from the Hawks, he said that it was also somewhat expected by Young’s camp. Fischer called this season an opportunity for Young to maximize a roster built to complement his game, as well as an opportunity for the new front office to evaluate the players on the roster. If Young is able to maximize the team’s potential and earn All-NBA honors, he’d be eligible for a much more lucrative extension, and he also has a 2026/27 player option he could decline to enter free agency next year as possibly the top free agent on the board.
Prior to dealing him to the Jazz, the Celtics had talks with the Grizzlies during Summer League about a deal that would send Georges Niang to Memphis, according to Fischer, who said a rumored framework of Anfernee Simons for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was never discussed. Fischer noted that before RJ Luis signed a two-way deal with the Jazz, he was considering signing with the Celtics. The Jazz are expected to keep Niang as a veteran leader. Fischer also said that he’s not as confident that Simons gets traded before the season starts as he was that Niang would be dealt.
Fischer confirmed that Bennedict Mathurin is on track to receive a bigger role this season with the Pacers due to Tyrese Haliburton‘s injury, and that Mathurin is also hoping to secure a deal that would pay him $20-30MM per year. Fischer added that many of the unsigned rookie scale extension candidates likely won’t finalize new deals until the October deadline.

Eli Cohen contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Quickley, Clarkson, Pagliuca, Maxey

August 4th, 2025 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

A signing completed by the Raptors in July 2024 is looming over large over the current offseason, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (YouTube link), who points to the five-year deal Immanuel Quickley signed as a restricted free agent last offseason as a major outlier. That contract had a base value of $162.5MM, with an additional $12.5MM in bonuses. It’s worth $32.5MM per year, with a maximum value of $35MM per year.

“The Immanuel Quickley contract has totally screwed up restricted free agency,” Marks said. “Because that’s where agents are looking at like the benchmark. Certainly, (Bulls guard) Josh Giddey‘s like, ‘I want that contract.’ That number has screwed up a lot of things.”

As Marks goes on to explain, while the agents for extension candidates or current restricted free agents like Giddey will be eager to use the Quickley deal as a point of comparison for their clients, teams around the NBA haven’t been willing to go that high for players with somewhat similar résumés.

“… I don’t think Toronto got enough heat for that number,” Marks continued. “Because Immanuel Quickley is not a $32, $33 million guy.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

It has been so long since Jordan Clarkson played meaningful basketball that it’s difficult to predict exactly what he’ll bring to the Knicks in 2025/26, one Western Conference scout tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required). Clarkson remains a talented scorer and one team source believes he’s “exactly what we needed” off the bench, Bondy writes, though a veteran NBA coach notes that the veteran guard comes with some downside too. “High-level shooter. Good going right,” the coach said. “Wild-card-type player. Throw him out there and see if he can get hot. But there’s not much else from a production standpoint. And it’s ugly on defense.”
Jennifer Rizzotti, the president of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, said on Sunday that a deal to sell the franchise to Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca is “not quite at the finish line yet” and that the Sun will remain in Connecticut for the 2026 season, per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. While both Rizzotti and Pagliuca (Twitter link) offered statements about the potential transaction, neither one disputed the fact that the plan is to move the team to Boston by 2027. Pagliuca spoke repeatedly in his statement about keeping the franchise “in New England.”
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer takes a look at the off-court work Tyrese Maxey is doing in the Philadelphia community, noting that Maxey’s foundation donated $60K this weekend while the Sixers guard hosted a free basketball camp for kids on Saturday.

Latest On Josh Giddey

July 28th, 2025 at 7:32am CST by Luke Adams

Four weeks into the NBA’s 2025 free agent period, the Bulls and restricted free agent guard Josh Giddey are locked into a stalemate in their contract negotiations, but the two sides have remained engaged in discussions throughout the offseason and there’s mutual interest in working out a multiyear agreement, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

According to Cowley, the two sides are still apart by about $8-10MM per year. That lines up with previous reporting that indicated Giddey’s camp is seeking an average annual value of $30MM while the Bulls prefer a deal in the range of $20MM per year.

For what it’s worth, rival executives polled by Fred Katz and Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic leaned more toward the Bulls’ valuation than Giddey’s. The Athletic’s duo asked 16 sources who work in NBA front offices what they’d consider a “fair” contract for Giddey and 14 of them suggested an average annual value ranging from $20-25MM per year.

However, as Katz and Lorenzi note, 10 of those 16 respondents also said they’d give Giddey four or five guaranteed years, which speaks to a level of optimism about his long-term floor. Only four free agents – Naz Reid, Myles Turner, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Sam Merrill – have received at least four guaranteed years since free agency began.

“If you’re offering a four-year contract, you have to be correct,” one executive told The Athletic. “But Giddey, you could offer a four-year deal.

“Giddey is the anomaly because he might be good enough to be a four-year player. Nobody wants to go with long-term contracts because everybody wants this idea of flexibility. You wanna have the ability to (say), ‘You know what? My team’s not very good. Let’s pivot.'”

According to Katz and Lorenzi, four executives suggested a four-year, $100MM deal for Giddey, while the most bullish respondent said he’d be comfortable with a five-year, $125MM commitment.

Of course, it’s worth noting – as was the case when Katz conducted a similar poll on Jonathan Kuminga‘s value – that rival team executives, who will have their own contract negotiations to deal with and don’t want the market to be set too high, are more likely to take a conservative view when asked to project a player’s contract. In other words, the responses in a poll of 16 agents might look more like what Giddey and his representatives are seeking.

As Cowley writes, there’s no rush for the Bulls and Giddey to bridge the gap in the short term — the 22-year-old’s qualifying offer won’t expire until at least October 1, which is right around the time training camps will be getting underway.

Giddey got off to a slow start in his first season as a Bull after being acquired from Oklahoma City in exchange for Alex Caruso, but finished strong, particularly after the team traded Zach LaVine to Sacramento. Between the start of February and the end of the regular season, Giddey averaged 20.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game with a shooting line of .491/.451/.801 across 25 outings.

Fischer’s Latest: RFAs, Smart, Vucevic, Brogdon

July 25th, 2025 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

In addition to sharing the latest updates on Nets guard Cam Thomas, NBA insider Jake Fischer checked in on the other three most notable remaining restricted free agents during his Bleacher Report live stream on Thursday, discussing Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, and Sixers guard Quentin Grimes.

Fischer stated that he doesn’t expect there to be resolution on either Giddey or Grimes this month (YouTube link) and expressed a belief that Grimes, Kuminga, and Thomas will eventually agree to short-term deals with their respective teams rather than long-term contracts (YouTube link).

While that leaves Giddey as the most likely player of the quartet to work out a longer-term agreement, Fischer added that he thinks Giddey’s dynamic with the Bulls is the “most strained” of the bunch right now, due to how the negotiations have played out so far (YouTube link).

Here’s more from Fischer:

Before Marcus Smart agreed to a buyout with Washington and signed with the Lakers, the Wizards had “a ton” of trade discussions about the former Defensive Player of the Year, per Fischer (YouTube link). The Bucks, Hawks, and Heat were among the teams that spoke to the Wizards about possible deals involving Smart, according to Fischer, who says that Washington and Miami talked at one point about a trade that would’ve included Terry Rozier.
Responding to a question about the possibility of the Bulls trading Nikola Vucevic, Fischer stressed that there isn’t much of a market for the veteran center (YouTube link). “I think at this juncture, we’re probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout mid-season than we are to see a trade,” Fischer said. “Depending on how the market unfolds, depending on how injuries develop. There just really hasn’t been much of a Nikola Vucevic trade market in a while.”
Fischer views the Timberwolves as perhaps the most logical landing spot for free agent guard Malcolm Brogdon (YouTube link). Fischer acknowledges that that Minnesota wants to give youngsters Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. more opportunities to establish themselves as rotation players, but notes that the team could use another veteran option to complement Mike Conley, who will turn 38 in October. “I think Minnesota still stands as a really good situation for Malcolm Brogdon and one that he’s been monitoring, one that the Wolves have checked in on,” Fischer said. “I’m not making a prediction, but I think that’s a good situation for Malcolm Brogdon.”

Fischer’s Latest: Nets, Thomas, Giddey, Grimes

July 17th, 2025 at 2:27pm CST by Rory Maher

Rival NBA executives and agents alike are curious about what the Nets will do with their remaining cap room, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). While general manager Sean Marks has aggressively signed restricted free agents to offer sheets in previous offseasons, that has not been the case this summer, Fischer notes.

According to Fischer’s sources, Brooklyn has yet to “significantly engage” in contract discussions with its own RFA, Cam Thomas.

As Brian Lewis of The New York Post tweets, the Nets are still below the minimum salary floor and could create about $25MM in cap space if they waive a handful of players on non-guaranteed (or lightly guaranteed) contracts. While some fans are “fretting” about Thomas’ situation, Lewis hears from a source (Twitter link) that neither the Nets nor the 23-year-old guard are in a rush to reach an agreement.

Here’s more from Fischer on a few noteworthy restricted free agents:

The agents of Bulls guard Josh Giddey “have not wavered” in their desire to secure their client a deal that would pay him $30MM per year. However, to this point, Chicago’s front office has presented offers “much closer” to $20MM in annual average value, sources tell Fischer.
While the Sixers have expressed a desire to retain Quentin Grimes, a deal has yet be finalized. Still, there’s an expectation that will eventually happen, according to Fischer, who writes that the 25-year-old wing is likely to sign a contract covering at least three years.
We highlighted in a separate story Fischer’s report that the Suns have expressed “exploratory interest” in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga but a sign-and-trade seems unlikely. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 confirms (via Twitter) that Phoenix is intrigued by Kuminga and says he isn’t entirely ruling out a deal coming together, but acknowledges the odds of it occurring are “in the low range.”

Suns Show ‘Exploratory Interest’ In Jonathan Kuminga

July 17th, 2025 at 10:57am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns have expressed “exploratory interest” in a sign-and-trade acquisition of Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

After buying out Bradley Beal and using the stretch provision to gain some cap flexibility, the Suns contacted both Kuminga’s representation and the Warriors regarding a potential transaction. However, the Suns — who dropped under both tax aprons via Beal’s buyout — still face major obstacles in pulling off a deal for Kuminga.

Golden State wants some level of first-round draft compensation in any Kuminga trade and the Suns are lacking in draft capital, Fischer writes. The current Suns roster also doesn’t appear to feature the type of player that would interest the Warriors front office.

Phoenix’s interest in Kuminga stems back to the February trade deadline when the Warriors sought a potential trade for Kevin Durant.

It’s not out of the question that Kuminga could remain with Golden State, but one side or the other would have to blink. Agent Aaron Turner has held numerous discussions with Warriors officials in Las Vegas this month trying to secure a contract that pays at least $25MM in average annual salary, even in the short term, according to Fischer. The Warriors have been reluctant to meet that price in a long-term agreement.

In terms of other possible destinations for Kuminga, the Kings have seemingly shown the most interest but Kuminga’s camp has also held out hope for a potential sign-and-trade with the Bulls. That scenario has yet to materialize, as Chicago has its own concerns about trying to re-sign restricted free agent and starting point guard Josh Giddey.

FA/Extension Rumors: Giddey, Suns, Young, Doncic

July 16th, 2025 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Restricted free agent Josh Giddey hasn’t been attending Bulls Summer League games despite being in Las Vegas this past week, but there are no signs that contract talks between the two sides have “ever become contentious,” writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required).

According to Jamal Collier of ESPN, Giddey had lunch with Bulls head coach Billy Donovan in Vegas and the guard’s agent was scheduled to meet with team executives at some point this week.

As Poe notes, there’s a significant gap to bridge in the contract negotiations between Giddey and the Bulls. While the 22-year-old is reportedly seeking an annual salary in the range of $30MM per year, the Bulls would prefer something closer to $20MM per year, says Poe. Reaching a compromise will likely take some time, but multiple sources tell Collier that they anticipate the point guard and the club to come to terms on a new contract sooner or later, and Poe hears the same thing.

Here are a few more notes and rumors on free agents and other NBA contract talks:

While the Suns are expected to add a guard to their roster to replace Bradley Beal, Gerald Bourget of PHNX Sports tweets that neither Chris Paul nor De’Anthony Melton seems likely to end up in Phoenix. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, meanwhile, says (via Twitter) that the Suns don’t have interest in former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons.
Trae Young was involved in recruiting Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard to Atlanta this offseason and is excited about what the Hawks‘ new-look roster is capable of, Marc J. Spears of Andscape said during a TV appearance on ESPN on Monday (Twitter video link). However, according to Spears, there haven’t been any “substantive talks” yet about a contract extension for the four-time All-Star. Young holds a player option for 2026/27, so he could become an unrestricted free agent as soon as next July.
Appearing on NBA Today on Tuesday (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst noted that even if Luka Doncic intends to sign an extension with the Lakers this summer, it may not happen right away once his restrictions lift on August 2 (six months after his trade to L.A.). As Windhorst observes, Doncic will be overseas with the Slovenian national team preparing for this year’s EuroBasket tournament and typically hasn’t made a habit of finalizing NBA contracts until after his time with the national team is over.

Bulls Notes: Essengue, Buzelis, Giddey, Primo

July 12th, 2025 at 11:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

After Friday’s disastrous Summer League debut, Bulls rookie Noa Essengue looked more comfortable with the level of competition on Saturday, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

The 12th overall pick was overmatched in his first game, scoring five points in nearly 25 minutes, posting a minus-32 rating and saying he was “surprised” by the level of physicality he encountered. Although he didn’t dominate in today’s loss to Sacramento, Essemgie probably calmed a few nerves throughout the organization with 12 points and 10 rebounds in about 19 minutes before being pulled from the game with an injury.

“Definitely better,” Summer League coach Billy Donovan III said. “He definitely wasn’t thinking as much, kept the dribbles down and I thought he was decisive. I think he’ll get better and better. They’re calling it a knee contusion right now, so he’ll get treatment on Sunday and see how he responds to it.”

Essengue appeared to hurt his right leg while working his way over a screen in the third quarter, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). Donovan said team trainers indicated there was knee-to-knee contact, adds Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link).

“I don’t know, I just took a hit,” Essengue said (Twitter link). “We’re gonna see how it feels the next few days. Go through treatment and all that.”

There’s more on the Bulls:

Matas Buzelis seems more like a veteran in his second Summer League experience, Cowley adds in a separate story. In addition to being bigger and stronger than he was at the end of last season, Buzelis has become a more vocal leader with his teammates. He sat out today’s game after hurting his wrist by dunking the ball “a little too hard” on Friday, but he told reporters that he’ll be ready when the Bulls return to action on Monday, per Johnson (Twitter link).
Josh Giddey is in Las Vegas, but he hasn’t been seen at either of the Bulls’ games, tweets Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. Fischer views it as a sign that negotiations on a new contract aren’t going well. Giddey and his representatives are reportedly hoping for $30MM a year, but the market for restricted free agents has been dormant, leaving him without much leverage.
Joshua Primo, a 2021 lottery pick, was hoping to revive his career with the Bulls’ Summer League team, but left foot soreness prevented him from making the trip to Las Vegas, according to Johnson (Twitter link). The 22-year-old swingman signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Chicago last October but didn’t make the regular season roster and didn’t play at all during a brief stint with the Windy City Bulls in the G League.