Josh Giddey said there were “never any bad feelings” between himself and the Chicago Bulls after a drawn-out contract standoff this summer.
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Giddey was speaking for the first time since he and the Bulls agreed to a fully guaranteed four-year, $100 million deal to lock him down as a key part of Chicago’s long-term plans.
The 22-year-old had been a restricted free agent entering the offseason but with few if any rival teams having the cap space to compete with the Bulls, Giddey and his representatives were essentially forced to stare Chicago down until one side budged on their demands.
Multiple reports at the time suggested Giddey was after $30 million a year while the Bulls were closer to $20 million and in the end the two parties met in the middle.
While neither side publicly admitted to frustrations with the process, Giddey wasn’t present for Chicago’s Summer League games while teammates, including Coby White who was the subject to trade rumours, watched on.
That only further intensified speculation of tension between the two parties, but Giddey said on Tuesday that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
“I mean obviously when you hit free agency, restricted or unrestricted, rumours start to circulate,” he said.
“For me, I let my management and agent handle that side of things with the front office here. So, I tried to stay out of it.
“When there was something to know I knew my agent would tell me, but other than that there were never any bad feelings.
“It’s a negotiation. It’s how it goes, not just for me but for every free agent. It’s kind of the nature of the business and finishing the season I knew that was what was going to happen… so never really hard feelings.
“Obviously this is where I wanted to be, so very happy to be locked in for another four years and I’m glad the deal got done.”
Chicago Bulls’ Josh Giddey poses for photographers during media day in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)Source: AP
Giddey did admit, however, that it was a “weird feeling” knowing he was going to be extension eligible at the end of the season and while it was something he tried not to think about too much, at times it was just impossible to completely shut out.
“It’s a weird feeling because you try not to think about it, but you wouldn’t be human if you didn’t, because obviously everyone wants to play for that second contract,” Giddey said.
“It’s part of being an NBA player. You want to extend your career. I was no different.
“… It wasn’t at the forefront of my mind but it’s always kind of lingering… when you start to play bad it creeps into your mind… ‘I’m extension-eligible at the end of the season, what’s going to happen?’… but I think I did a good job in the second half last year just playing it out. Just playing basketball.
“It wasn’t at the forefront of my mind at all. I knew at the end of the season it was going to be negotiated.”
Giddey said it was a “big weight off the shoulders” to have the contract out of the way, although he was always adamant that he wanted to return to the Bulls.
“I never had any worries I wasn’t going to be here,” the 22-year-old explained.
“This was where I wanted to be. They embraced me from day one when I first got here — teammates, front office and the fans — and it felt like home really quickly.
“Obviously what we did last year, particularly in the back half of the year, it gave me a lot of confidence that this team was able to continue to take steps in the right direction.
“I built really good relationships with people, not only in the organisation, but outside of the building in the city, and it felt like home quickly.
“Right from the jump, I made sure my agent knew this is where I wanted to be. I want to be here long-term.”
Giddey got his extension this summer. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)Source: AP
The hope for the Bulls is that Giddey can turn into a cornerstone piece for a franchise that has lacked direction in recent seasons, with it looking increasingly unlikely they will be able to afford to keep White while Nikola Vucevic has also been linked with a potential exit.
The Zach LaVine trade saw Giddey handed the keys to the offence and the Australian enjoyed a breakout end to his first season with the Bulls, seeing a significant jump in usage and production after the All-Star break.
Giddey averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists following the 2025 All-Star break, shooting 46 per cent on 3-point attempts, and said shooting the ball at a consistent clip remains a focus for him ahead of the new season.
“When I got here I think early days I was trying to find my feet,” Giddey said.
“I was probably trying to fit in a little too much and then (in the) back-half of the year I started to get aggressive and kind of get back to who I am as a player.
“I tried to do it without taking anything away from the team. I tried to dive into the team as much as I could and I felt like that really helped me in the back-half of the year, so going into this year that’s kind of where my mindset is at.
“It’s not about me at all. It’s not about me trying to go out there and prove that I’m worth this or I’m this type of player or anything. It’s about how can I, as the point guard, continue to push this team in the right direction.”
Giddey wants to improve as a leader. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)Source: AP
He also described defence as a “big area of improvement” in his game, while also conceding that it was a “slow burn” for him after struggling earlier in the year and being benched at one point after a particularly rough game against Cleveland.
But away from the defence and shooting, Giddey also singled out his on and off-court leadership as something he wants to “try dive into more”.
“Every leader is different. Some guys are loud vocal guys. Some guys lead by example. I think I’m just naturally more of a reserved guy,” Giddey said.
“I’m not a big yell or scream type of leader, but I think taking a step in that role, using my voice more.
“Especially as a point guard, you kind of have to be vocal and I feel like on the floor I am, but away from the floor in timeouts and huddles and at halftime breaks, I can be more of a leader in those types of things.
“That’s probably the big area for me that I want to continue to grow in.”