Chicago Bulls' $100-million decision already starting to pay off
After re-signing him to a four-year $100 million contract this past offseason, Josh Giddey and the Chicago Bulls have started out 5-0 for the first time since 1996
The Chicago Bulls decision to re-sign Josh Giddey to a four-year, $100 million contract looks to already be paying off after the franchise moved to 5-0 for the first time since 1996.
Having joined the Bulls via a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2024 offseason, Chicago tied Giddey down to a long-term deal back in September. On Friday, they improved to 5-0 after beating the New York Knicks 135-125, in a game that saw Giddey score 32 points.
While the 2025 NBA season is still young, the Bulls are now the only undefeated side in the Eastern Conference, with Giddey averaging 22 points through five games. Meanwhile, it was recently announced Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played for Oklahoma City while his house was being burgled.
Friday's win over the Knicks was his best of the season so far, with him also registering 10 rebounds.
Speaking to reporters after the game, the Bulls star admitted that while he and his teammates know there's still a long way to go this year, Chicago feel great about where they're at right now.
"We feel good as a group of where we're at right now, but there's a long way to go," Giddey said, via ESPN.
"Every night there's different guys making plays and stepping up. We've got a bunch of guys -- six, seven guys averaging double figures. That kind of speaks volumes to how deep we are as a team and the impact we're getting across the board."
The flipside of Giddey's trade to Chicago last year saw Alex Caruso join the Thunder, with Oklahoma City eventually going on to win an NBA Finals title when they defeated the Indiana Pacers.
While leaving a team that would eventually go on to become NBA champions must have been something that left Giddey thinking 'what if', the 23-year-old believes he is now in a place where he feels wanted in Chicago.
"It's a place where I'm wanted," Giddey said.
"I love having confidence from my teammates and the coaches to trust me to go out there and make plays. That's kind of what we need as a player. When you have the belief from everybody around you, it propels you in the right direction. So I'm feeling good, we're feeling good as a team.
"We all love each other. We all love playing with each other.
"And when you enjoy the people you get to go to work with every day, it makes it a lot more fun and enjoyable."