Josh Giddey’s early-season snapshot: $100M bet, ankle scare, and the Bulls offense running through him

Josh Giddey entered the 2025–26 season with a new four-year deal and an even bigger mandate. Three weeks after re-upping with Chicago, the 22-year-old guard shook off a minor preseason ankle tweak and opened the campaign as the Bulls’ primary initiator. The assignment is clear: validate a nine-figure contract by turning steady all-around production into winning offense—especially while a backcourt partner rehabs a calf strain.

The contract, the context, the expectations

Giddey’s extension—widely pegged at four years, $100 million—arrived on the heels of a strong finish to 2024–25. Over his final 30 games last spring, he elevated both three-point accuracy and rim pressure, quieting the old scouting report that labeled him a non-shooter. Chicago’s calculus wasn’t just about box score heft; it was about fit. With size at the guard spot and a pass-first lens, he’s the connective tissue for a roster that needs timely kick-outs, pocket passes, and pace control late.

Why the stakes are higher now

• A top-heavy cap sheet demands star-level impact from lead creators.

• The East is deeper; play-in margins are thin.

• Giddey’s deal overlaps prime years for front-court anchors who thrive on timely touches.

Health check: the ankle that paused preseason—for a moment

Early October brought a scare when Giddey rolled his right ankle during training and was limited for parts of the preseason. Team guidance framed it as precautionary, and subsequent scrimmage minutes plus a full ramp-up week pointed to no lingering structural issue. The real tell came once whistles counted: his change of pace and willingness to attack closeouts returned quickly, a sign the joint is stable enough for regular duty.

What the first games say about his role

Through the opening stretch, Chicago has asked Giddey to do three things on nearly every half-court trip:

1. Trigger early actions (dribble-handoffs, step-up screens) to tilt help defenders.

2. Feed the post and short roll—particularly with the starting center—then relocate for secondary touches.

3. Punish soft paint coverage with floater-range decisions and kick-outs.

The tape shows a confident setup man who’s still ironing out timing at new volumes. Turnovers have spiked on a couple nights—an expected tax when usage climbs—but the tradeoff has been cleaner shot quality for teammates and sustained scoring bursts when he and the bigs sync angles.

Shooting progress: real or mirage?

Last spring’s jump to the high-30s from deep hasn’t vanished. Mechanics remain compact, and he’s been decisive on catch-and-shoot threes above the break. The swing variable is off-the-dribble rhythm: when defenders duck under, he must keep taking the first open pull-up, not the third. Chicago’s spacing improves dramatically when he proves he’ll shoot without a gather-gather.

Early indicators

• Catch-and-shoot: Stable; feet set, no hitch.

• Pull-up threes: Mixed; comfort grows after he sees one fall.

• Floaters/runners: Reliable counter when bigs sit deep.

The viral moment—and the bigger picture

A widely shared early-season clip of an airball fed the usual hot-take loop. Inside the staff room, the broader ledger matters more: pace control, screen angles, and how many paint touches his possessions generate. The Bulls can live with the occasional miss if the process keeps bending defenses to create open corner threes and rim attempts for finishers.

Rotation realities: who benefits from Giddey’s table-setting

• Starting center: High-low feeds and pocket passes have popped, with two-man chemistry producing efficient touches in the middle of the floor.

• Wings: Relocate threes after baseline drives are trending up; Giddey’s skip reads are hitting shooters in the hands.

• Bench guards: Staggered minutes let him anchor second units where his size punishes smaller matchups.

With a key guard sidelined short-term, Giddey’s minutes have included more on-ball responsibility against starters and bench units alike—useful reps for decision-making at playoff speed.

Areas to sharpen in the next 10 games

• Live-dribble counters vs. switches: A quicker inside-hand crossover or snake dribble will reduce late-clock heaves.

• Early clock paint touches: Beat set defenses by pushing off rebounds; his defensive boards should trigger instant bust-outs.

• Turnover trim: Two possessions per game are swinging on ambitious no-look darts; same idea, simpler delivery.

Josh Giddey right now

The opening snapshot matches the investment thesis: a big guard who organizes offense, lifts teammate efficiency, and shows enough jumper growth to keep the floor spaced. The contract raises the bar—from promising connector to engine—and the first week suggests he’s leaning into that challenge. If the ankle holds and the threes stay honest, Chicago’s half-court math looks far more sustainable than it did a year ago.