Josh Giddey Problems and Solutions, Shooting and Defense Issues, Chicago Bulls, Analysis, Breaking News

It wasn’t long ago that Josh Giddey was a hot NBA player; As the league’s newest nightly triple-double threat, he reached unprecedented heights in Oklahoma City.

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But now, in a contract year after failing to agree to a long-term extension with the Chicago Bulls – and facing constant external criticism – the talented ballplayer finds himself at a career crossroads after less than four seasons.

The 2021 No. 6 draft pick, who stood out against the burgeoning Thunder, was a crucial factor in Oklahoma City’s rise to the Western Conference title game.

In early 2022, the then 19-year-old Giddey became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, showcasing his arsenal of talent as the primary facilitator of a winning team.

Giddey played 76 games in the 22/23 season and averaged 16.6 points on 48.2 percent shooting, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists.

At the time, it was almost impossible to argue that he had the most promising development of an Australian basketball player since Ben Simmons in his formative years in Philadelphia.

But despite the 6-foot-2 guard’s playing strengths, Giddey struggled from the start of his career as both a three-point shooter and a defender – and they undeniably remained stumbling blocks in his development.

In the 2021/22 season, Giddey achieved a disappointing rate of 26.3 percent from three points. And although he gradually improved in his second and third seasons, Giddey never managed more than a 33.7 percent distance percentage during his time in Oklahoma City.

For the Thunder, this meant their floor spacing issues reached a boiling point – especially with higher playoff stakes.

Giddey appeared in 80 of a possible 82 regular season games for the starting Thunder in the 2023-24 season, playing an average of 25.2 minutes. However, because he was still essentially a non-factor from beyond the arc, his playoff minutes were significantly reduced – until his starting status eventually eroded.

He averaged 26.5 minutes in OKC’s 4-0 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round, but after Giddey struggled in the Thunder’s sluggish second-round game against the Dallas Mavericks, he managed just 11 in the following five meetings .8 minutes – and that too Game Six was banned from the starting lineup for the first time in his career – as OKC was eliminated in six games by the eventual Western Conference champions.

“Obviously I had problems. Coach (Mark Daigneault) did what he thought was best for the team,” Giddey said at the time.

“To be honest, I probably agree with him. As hard as it is for a player to sit there and say, “I should be on the bench,” back in the series (against) Dallas, Cason (Wallace), Isaiah (Joe) were probably better.

“I don’t want to feel that feeling again. It will make me much better and stronger as a player if something like this can never happen again.”

But ultimately there was a separation in the offseason.

Oklahoma City traded the Melbourne product to Chicago in exchange for three-time NBA All-Defensive Team guard Alex Caruso.

The general consensus afterward was that the Bulls should have made more for Caruso than just Giddey, a player who had just fallen out of favor and whose trade value appeared to be at an all-time low.

But given injury-plagued Chicago star Lonzo Ball’s uncertain NBA future early in the season, it made sense for the Bulls to go for a skilled pass-first guard – someone who could make the most of key scorers Zach LaVine, Coby White and Coby White was able to get Nikola Vucevic out.

However, because Giddey has less talent than he had with the Thunder, he was unable to show his best side in Chicago – known problems are hindering his progress in the NBA.

The 22-year-old floor general has improved his three-point efficiency, hitting 36.4 percent in 18 games so far – and the Bulls are playing at a promising pace – but familiar defensive issues remain.

The blot on his season so far was the Bulls’ 144-126 loss to the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on November 17th.

Giddey managed five points on 2-9 shooting and one assist in 15 minutes played, a season low; Coach Billy Donovan benched him at the start of the second half.

“I wouldn’t have played myself if I were Billy. I was bad on both sides,” Giddey said afterwards.

This season, when Giddey is on the court, Chicago has posted a leaky defensive rating of 122.6, compared to a rating of 114.5 when he is watching from the sidelines.

“Will (Giddey) be an elite defender in the NBA? Probably not,” Donovan said recently.

“He’s mastered the coverage, he’s mastered the footwork, he’s mastered, ‘I’m 6-foot-3, I don’t have to close all the way out, I have to figure out my foot speed, I don’t need to be knocked down.’

“He’s got size and IQ, (but) I think he still needs to get a lot more physical.”

Regarding Giddey’s footwork in particular, Donovan said, “It’s got to get a lot better.”

Back to his offense: Giddey is one of the worst shooters in the league at the rim. From 0 to 3 feet, his 51.6 percent shooting percentage ranks a lowly 252nd out of 276 qualified players.

Since he often has difficulty breaking away from defenders on the way to the basket, he is also the eleventh most blocked guard in the league this season.

Giddey’s plus-minus for the season ranks 462nd out of 485 qualified players. The Bulls also have a better three-point attempt rate when Giddey is not on the court, better shooting quality and play at a slightly faster pace when he is watching.

After failing in the preseason to agree on a long-term deal with his new club, which will enter restricted free agency in the offseason, Giddey has bet on himself as he has his eye on a lucrative contract.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, that amount was around $30 million (A$46 million) per year in his next contract.

For comparison, Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs – who was one pick ahead of Giddey at No. 5 in 2021 – signed a five-year, $150 million extension ($30 million AAV) in October, while No. 8 pick and Magic- Teammate Franz Wagner received a five-year, $224 million contract ($44.8 million AAV).

The progression of his three-point shooting is obviously promising, having worked closely with acclaimed Bulls director of player development Peter Patton this year – but Giddey must continue to shoot from distance, even when the shots aren’t falling, in order to consistently close the ball; which will improve ground clearance in Chicago.

These close-outs also make it easier for Giddey to put the ball on the floor and separate during aggressive attacks – which he also has to initiate again and again to keep the defense on its toes.

And on the other hand, Giddey has to react more actively and attentively to his opponents’ movements off the ball. Stay at the forefront of perimeter situations and don’t give in to backdoor cuts.

Finally, body language is important.

It’s clear that Giddey feels the pressure to perform – you can often see him putting his head in his hands after a miss at the rim or a loss of possession – but he can’t afford to go too high or too low.

And without trying to be too suggestive, it’s hard to argue that Giddey’s off-field mishaps didn’t have an impact.

In any case, the Australian’s path to becoming a standout NBA starter remains largely open, but improvements need to be made to ensure that path remains possible – and to instill confidence in Chicago’s front office that he is worth a long-term contract.