After being acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder, many expected Chicago Bulls forward Josh Giddey to put up strong numbers playing on a rebuilding team. That hasn't happened with his numbers being comparable to his last season in Oklahoma City. Part of the reason has been him playing fewer minutes than expected and that has to do with his defense or lack thereof.
His questionable defense has resulted in him being pulled in a recent game and has held him back from playing a larger role in Chicago. If Giddey doesn't improve enough on defense to warrant more playing time, then he risks jeopardizing his future with not only the team but in the NBA.
After all, he will be a restricted free agent after he and the Bulls failed to agree to terms on an extension, with Giddey reportedly wanting at least $30 million a season. He is unlikely to get anywhere near that much at the moment, even despite him having shown signs of improvement as a 3-point shooter, which was one of his biggest flaws.
The Chicago Bulls gambled on Josh Giddey and are still waiting on him to pay off.
In his first 13 games, he is shooting 40% on 3.5 3-point attempts per game. Ironically, he is shooting a career low from the field, largely due to him shooting horribly from inside their arc. His shooting issues and defensive problems have made the Bulls decision to trade Alex Caruso, who they reportedly believed could net them two first-round picks, for Giddey straight up seem like a bad call.
Whether the Bulls could have actually gotten two first for Caruso is questionable, though the Thunder, for whom the Bulls traded him too, had plenty of picks to offer. It's possible that they were given the option of picks or Giddey and chose Giddey. It was a reasonable gamble given that Giddey's flaws made him an awkward fit on the Thunder. It seemed that giving him a chance to spread his wings in Chicago and see what he could do.
If he can't improve his play, then the Bulls aren't under any obligation to keep him. That is especially true if they end up with a high lottery pick in next year's NBA Draft. They have the seventh-worst record in the NBA at the moment and have incentive to finish with the worst record possible since they owe a top-10 pick to the San Antonio Spurs.
Getting a top-5 pick would give them a chance to replace Giddey if the right player is available or they find a star in the draft to build around. Giddey can still turn things around but he hasn't had the best start to the season thus far.