The Chicago Bulls gave Josh Giddey a shiny new four-year, $100 million contract to be their long-term answer at point guard. If he were to go down with an even remotely significant injury this season, the chances the Bulls end their four-year playoff drought would go down with him.
Ask the Portland Trail Blazers how much they’ll miss their own ascending floor general: Scoot Henderson is set to miss at least a month with a torn hamstring. While it’s no doubt a blow to Chauncey Billups’ squad, Portland has a two-time NBA champion in Jrue Holiday waiting to take the reins; Holiday was likely to be the Blazers’ starting point guard on opening night, with Henderson or without.
Chicago doesn’t have that same luxury. If Giddey misses a chunk of time, it would severely hamper what the Bulls do best.
Chicago Bulls are extremely reliant on Josh Giddey
Portland made Henderson the third-overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft after Victor Wembanyama landed in San Antonio and Brandon Miller went to Charlotte. Perhaps the most famous graduate of the G League Ignite program (although Matas Buzelis would surely have something to say about that), Henderson has career averages of 13.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists. He’s shot just 40.1 percent from the field in 128 games, only 42 of which were starts.
The “bust” label hasn’t stuck — nor should it yet — but it’s fair to admit Henderson has been underwhelming given the expectations that come with being a top-3 pick and the point guard who follows Damian Lillard in Portland.
Giddey, meanwhile, who’s somehow barely 16 months older than Henderson and just completed his fourth NBA campaign, owns career stats of 14.1 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game and 6.1 assists per game in 280 contests (279 starts), all of which best Scoot’s.
The Aussie posted career highs in rebounds (8.1), assists (7.2) and steals (1.2) last season while hitting a career-best 37.8 percent of his threes on a career-high 278 attempts (4.0 per game). His 2024-25 season alone far surpasses anything Henderson has accomplished.
And without Giddey, the Bulls’ offense doesn’t function. Head coach Billy Donovan’s scheme is heavily dependent on the 22-year-old’s size, sky-high basketball IQ and elite passing ability. His massive jumps in 3-point accuracy and free-throw attempts make him even more critical to a system built around scoring in transition and creating open threes. Tre Jones played at a high level last year and earned every bit of his new three-year, $24 million deal, but he can’t replicate Giddey’s impact.
Henderson’s injury will alter the Trail Blazers’ plans, especially in November and December. But an injury to Giddey would change the Bulls’ entire approach to the season.
