Josh Giddey: “It—and the feeling—came right back to me once I got out there. Obviously, I wasn’t playing too hard, but just that enjoyment of getting to play with friends in a rec or domestic game, that joy came right back from when I used to do it as a kid. I’ve always loved that kind of basketball. Anytime I can play, I try to. It’s just fun, even if it’s not serious. Obviously, playing in the NBA now, coming home and jumping into a Monday night comp in Frankston isn’t exactly at the top of my priority list, but it brought back that childhood excitement—rocking up five minutes before tipoff, throwing on your shoes, and just hooping. I’ve tried to ask the NBA if I can come home and play in NBL or other leagues during the offseason. It keeps me in game shape. There’s no better way to stay sharp than actually playing basketball.”
Source: YouTube
Source: YouTube
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Trey Kerby @treykerby
Still no Josh Giddey deal: youtube.com/watch?v=g4dSyq… pic.x.com/nb8HsqIivt – 9:55 AM
Still no Josh Giddey deal: youtube.com/watch?v=g4dSyq… pic.x.com/nb8HsqIivt – 9:55 AM
Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
Can confirm that Tre Jones has signed on a three-year, $24 million deal. Bulls can also play hardball with Josh Giddey. Brooklyn was only real threat to make an offer, and trade for Porter Jr. has killed that money. What say you, AK? Bid against yourself or play hardball? – 7:30 PM
Can confirm that Tre Jones has signed on a three-year, $24 million deal. Bulls can also play hardball with Josh Giddey. Brooklyn was only real threat to make an offer, and trade for Porter Jr. has killed that money. What say you, AK? Bid against yourself or play hardball? – 7:30 PM
More on this storyline
Josh Giddey: “Well, I mean, I don’t know exactly what the rules are in terms of playing in that game. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have done it. I don’t know if it had anything to do with who I’m contracted with or not. It’s more the fact that—if I had gotten hurt—it would’ve been a whole different conversation. I made sure I was cruising out there. I stayed out of the key as much as possible, floated around the three-point line. I didn’t go hard. But yeah, my agent Daniel was furious with me—he’s based in LA and texted me overnight. People who know me and know how close Daniel and I are—it wasn’t like he was blowing up on me angrily. We speak every day. But yeah, he wasn’t happy.” -via YouTube / July 3, 2025
Bulls Insider for the Chicago Sports Network, K.C. Johnson believes it is purely “a matter of time” before the deal is done with the two parties working through final dollar figures and length of the contract. “He is the Bulls primary focus,” Johnson said of Giddey. “I have not heard any potential snags or hold ups. I think both sides are still confident a deal will be done here in Chicago. “That said, obviously, years and money are going to be the sticking points. “There is the remote possibility that they don’t find common ground and Josh Giddey plays next year on a qualifying offer. I’d be surprised if that happens. “And as of right now, I’ve heard no sign and trade possibilities for Josh Giddey, and no linkage to the Brooklyn Nets for an offer sheet. “I do think it is a matter of time when this deal gets done.” -via FOXSports.com / July 3, 2025
First up on Chicago’s to-do list is to re-sign Josh Giddey, a restricted free agent who is expected to command a salary near $30 million annually, sources told ESPN. The move to acquire Giddey in a player-for-player trade, without any additional draft compensation, looked a lot like the deal the team made last week when it swapped Lonzo Ball (age 27) for Isaac Okoro (age 24) from Cleveland. -via ESPN / June 30, 2025