What happens when you want to make a trade, but the other team doesn’t understand how trades work? Welcome to the Chicago Bulls front office, where logic goes to die and negotiations go to get ghosted. Because how else do you explain the chaos, the cryptic silence, and the feeling that Golden State is just quietly waiting to drop something groundbreaking? Josh Giddey, a 6-foot-8 unicorn disguised as a point guard, is suddenly at the center of a muted but mighty tug-of-war. But the thing is, while the Warriors have emerged as suitors, they can’t move forward. Not because Giddey isn’t worth it. But because of a problem that might be as explosive as the solution.
That problem? Jonathan Kuminga. Or more accurately: the Jonathan Kuminga standoff, hostage crisis, or passive-aggressive stare-off… whichever metaphor you prefer. According to Jake Fischer, Golden State has talked to Giddey’s reps about a sign-and-trade. The concept? Simple. The execution? Anything but. Because until the Kuminga contract saga is resolved, the Warriors can’t exactly go shopping. They need space, clarity, and well, cooperation. Which, so far, they’re not getting. Giddey, meanwhile, waits. And bets. And waits some more. But Josh Giddey isn’t some wild flyer.
He’s 22 years old with an average of 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists last season with Chicago. Those are the kinds of all-around numbers that scream: “Let me run your offense.” His game is smooth as he sees passes before the defense sees danger. And for a Warriors team that needs a connector, someone to balance Steph Curry’s gravity and Draymond’s emotions? Giddey might be the ideal anti-Poole. You know… less chaos, more command. The Bulls, however, don’t seem eager to let him walk.
They reportedly offered a deal closer to $20 million per year. Giddey wants $30M. That void is still unbridged. And the rest of the league, not just the Golden State Warriors, is staying cautious, partly because nobody can figure out what the Chicago Bulls are doing. So much so, at this point, it feels like trying to negotiate with a Magic 8-Ball, so to speak. That uncertainty, though, ironically, makes Golden State’s potential involvement even more fascinating.
The Warriors are reportedly interested in Josh Giddey and have reached out to his camp
This comes after the Bulls have been unwilling to meet Giddey’s $30M/yr contract desire amidst his restricted free agency situation
Giddey averaged 14.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG & 7.2 APG in 70… pic.twitter.com/K7fnTNmVo8
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) August 7, 2025
Because this is a team that usually prefers control. Which tells you just how high they might be on Giddey. And yet… they can’t move. Because Jonathan Kuminga, their most explosive trade chip, is currently deep in a standoff of his own. Kuminga, reportedly offered a 3-year, $63 million deal by the Sacramento Kings, has become a pawn in the Warriors’ much larger game.
The Warriors are Giddey-ing up?
And while the Golden State insists they won’t trade him, their actions scream otherwise. They want him to waive his right to block a future deal. They want flexibility. But he wants clarity and a pathway to stardom. Until that gets sorted?
Dec 8, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) looks to pass the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
No Giddey, Horford, Payton, or De’Anthony Melton… just hypotheticals. And here’s where it gets even messier: What if the Warriors are considering a straight swap? Giddey for Kuminga. The ultimate basketball yin and yang. One is a slashing, twitchy forward with raw upside. The other is a smooth, pass-first guard who thrives in structure. It’s the kind of move that defines eras, or well, ends them.
The Warriors could easily rationalize it. Giddey makes more sense in their current system. Kuminga might never get the runway he needs in Steve Kerr’s scheme. But what if they’re wrong? What if they trade the next elite two-way wing for a better-fitting, but lower-ceiling playmaker? On the other side, Chicago would get the swing-for-the-fences athlete they’ve arguably always needed. A fresh start. And maybe even a better PR spin than overpaying Giddey. So what happens next?
Maybe Giddey gets $25M as a settlement and stays in Chicago. Maybe Kuminga dares Golden State to figure it out later. Or maybe, just maybe, the Warriors pull the trigger, reshuffle the deck, and let the dream-weaver steer the ship into their next chapter. Whatever happens, the offseason couldn’t have gotten anymore Giddey-ier, and we’re all here for it!
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