The Chicago Bulls and Josh Giddey remain locked in a contract standoff, and according to NBA insider Jake Fischer, a resolution still appears far off. Fischer wrote, “… Chicago’s best offer to Giddey is a four-year pact in the $80 million range. The Aussie floor leader is seeking a new deal that pays him at $30 million per season.”

As it stands, the Bulls and Giddey’s camp remain nearly $10 million apart in average annual value, a gap that has lingered for more than a month. With the October 1st deadline approaching, there’s a legitimate chance Giddey opts for the one-year, $11.1 million qualifying offer—a scenario that could spell disaster for the Bulls.

However, Chicago holds the leverage in negotiations, and with no rival team possessing the cap space to pry Giddey away, there’s been little urgency to finalize a deal. Therefore, a likely compromise is on the horizon. In the end, Giddey wants to stay in Chicago long-term, and the Bulls are likewise intent on keeping him in the Windy City.

Josh Giddey is prioritizing three-point improvement in the offseason

Consequently, even after impressing in his inaugural season in Chicago, Giddey is working to improve his faults amid the contract standoff. Via Sam Vecenie of the Game Theory podcast, “I got to see Josh work out earlier this week, and [he] was very clearly working on catching and shooting, catching and shooting… that’s a big piece for him, it feels like right now. So, we will see if he can translate [spot-up shooting]. That’s ultimately the key for him. If he can translate that, he becomes a guy that’s worth a ton of money.”

Giddey entered the NBA as a tantalizing prospect, a rare, jumbo-sized floor general who could orchestrate an offense and warp defenses with his preternatural passing. His shooting, however, lagged behind.

Prior to the 2021 NBA Draft, NBA.com wrote, “He still has significant room to improve as a jump shooter to help keep defenders honest…” The Ringer shared, “Can’t make defenders pay for going under screens in the pick-and-roll because of his shaky dribble jumper.” And NBADraft.net penned, “Inconsistent shooter, can be called a streaky shooter, at best for now in spot-up situations.”

All three reports immediately proved true. Giddey shot merely 26.3 percent from beyond the arc as a rookie. Moreover, he wasn’t especially keen to let it fly. The Aussie only attempted 3.9 threes per game in his rookie season. Only about a third of his field goal attempts came from deep.

Giddey has steadily improved as a shooter over his career

Giddey improved as a sophomore, drilling 32.5 percent of his triples. But his volume decreased to 3.1 attempts per game. Then, Giddey’s three-point aversion hit a new nadir in the 2024 postseason. The Dallas Mavericks completely neglected the 6-foot-8 guard on the perimeter, defending him with centers Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford. Thunder Head Coach Mark Daigneault responded by sending Giddey to the bench for the first time in his career.

For the first time in his career, Giddey was unplayable due to his biggest wart—shooting. After getting benched in the postseason, the Aussie requested a trade, ultimately landing in Chicago. Upon arriving in the Windy City, Giddey’s three-point marksmanship remained subpar. He shot below 30 percent from long range in November and December.

Then came the new year. Giddey drained 36.7 percent of his triples in January and an inconceivable 53.6 percent in February. Post-All-Star break, the 22-year-old nailed 37 three-pointers in 19 games at a 45.7 percent clip. His confidence soared as his impact on the game climbed to new heights.

Giddey heads into what may be the most important season of his career intent on growing his offensive arsenal. He closed the 2024-25 campaign shooting 37.8 percent from deep, though his volume remained modest at just 4.0 attempts per game.

Boosting his three-point attempts without sacrificing efficiency is the next stride forward for Giddey. Should Vecenie’s report on Giddey’s workouts hold true, the Aussie appears to be taking the right steps toward further growth.