Josh Giddey dramatically improved his 3-point stroke last season, but the Chicago Bulls’ newly paid franchise point guard could take a leap toward All-Star status if he can find a smart way to leverage his size and become a better finisher at the rim.

Chicago committed to Giddey as its future at the position, handing the 22-year-old a four-year, $100 million contract. That’s a team-friendly compromise between the $30 million per season Giddey desired and the $20 million annually the Bulls wanted to give him, especially considering the Aussie is coming off his most promising NBA season.

After acquiring him from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Alex Caruso, Giddey took the reins of head coach Billy Donovan’s fast-paced, transition scheme that favors running at every opportunity, spacing the floor and launching open threes. Along with scoring 14.6 points per game, Giddey averaged career highs in rebounds (8.1), assists (7.2) and steals (1.2).

Most importantly, he put at least some of the concerns about his outside shooting to bed. He hit a career-best 37.8 percent from deep on a career-high 4.0 triples per game. His true shooting percentage (57.0) and effective field-goal percentages (53.1) were also personal bests.

But there’s a clear — and relatively simple — path that the four-year pro can take to continue his ascension in Chicago.

Josh Giddey struggled to score at the rim last season

Along with his uptick in efficiency from deep came a spike in Giddey’s free-throw attempts. His 1.6 charity-stripe shots per game in 2023-24 doubled to 3.2 last year. His makes went from 1.3 to 2.5. His percentage wasn’t great, however, dropping from 80.6 percent two years ago to 78.1 percent in 2024-25.

He also converted just 48.3 percent of his shots in the paint and was a sub-50 percent shooter from 5-to-9 feet, per NBA.com. Giddey’s go-to near the basket is a push-floater that he converts efficiently, but at the moment, it seems to be the only shot he’s comfortable taking inside.

The Bulls will be more dangerous when Giddey can convert easy looks

Considering his role as floor general of a team that plays at the second-fastest pace in the league, things would get much easier for the Bulls if Giddey could go coast-to-coast, get downhill, and finish consistently at the rim.

Given his massive size advantage over most other point guards at 6-foot-8, he should be a much better scorer in that area of the floor, as pointed out by The Ringer‘s Zach Lowe, who adds that to be the lead ballhandler on a good team, “you have to be a monster finisher at the rim.” At least to this point in his career, Giddey certainly is not that.

On a positive note, Lowe points out that Giddey isn’t even 23 years old. He’s getting better statistically and via the basic eye test. After the All-Star break last season, he averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists with shooting splits of 50/46/81. His free-throw attempts jumped to 5.8 per game over those 19 contests.

Giddey is on the right trajectory and took a clear step forward last season. The next obvious area for improvement, and one that could get him wider, more appreciated recognition, lies in his ability to use his special positional size and efficiently convert on simpler looks.