While the majority of the big moves that are going to happen this offseason across the NBA have already been made, there are still several big-name restricted free agents on the board who are playing the waiting game when it comes to their contract negotiations. Perhaps the biggest of the bunch is Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, with the two sides engaging in a months-long standstill in their discussions.
With Kuminga showing no interest in returning to the Warriors, they have been linked to several of the other restricted free agents available. However, based on Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, it seems like one of those potential targets, guard Josh Giddey, may be coming off the market in the near future.
Warriors Could Be Set to Miss Out on Josh Giddey
Giddey was selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he ended up getting boxed out in the team’s youth movement. After three seasons, he was traded to the Bulls last year, where he ended up earning a bigger role down the stretch of the season after Zach LaVine was traded to the Sacramento Kings.
On the surface, the 2024-25 season looks pretty standard for Giddey, as he averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. From the month of February on, though, Giddey took a major step forward. In his final 25 games of the campaign, Giddey averaged 20.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game while hitting 49.1% of his shots.
In the process, Giddey showed that he and Coby White may just be Chicago’s backcourt of the future. However, the Bulls have been unable to re-sign Giddey, with his free agency dragging out the same way Kuminga’s has. While the Warriors aren’t over-the-moon about potentially re-signing Kuminga, reports have indicated that they could be interested in finding a way to bring Giddey to town.
The most likely scenario has always been that Giddey would return to the Bulls, and it seems like he may be close to doing so. On Wednesday night, Buzelis shared a post on his second Instagram account tagging Giddey alongside a pen and paper emoji, seemingly implying that a deal could be close to getting signed.
Where Should Warriors Turn if They Miss Out on Josh Giddey?
GettyJosh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls looks to make a play against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Golden State’s offseason plans have been slowed down significantly due to their negotiations with Kuminga. Having that hovering over their head has made it tough to pursue someone like Giddey, and it’s also held up their negotiations with free agents like Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton, both of whom reportedly have verbal agreements in place with the Warriors.
Regardless of whether the team makes a late push for Giddey, the front office has to figure out what to do with Kuminga. Neither side has budged to this point, and unless something changes dramatically in the near future, there’s no end in sight with this stalemate. Giddey would certainly be a great target for the Warriors, but it seems like the team has bigger fish to fry right now.
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