Josh Giddey Just Became Even More Important To The Bulls Rebuild

The Chicago Bulls played their first Summer League game of 2026 on Friday night and lost to the Memphis Grizzlies by a single point. The talk of the city and even the entire league this weekend is Caleb Wilson's stellar debut, dropping 35 points while shooting 7-of-11 from three. The fourth overall pick made noise defensively as well, with three blocks and two steals, showcasing his defensive playmaking upside.

Despite the incredible high Wilson has Bulls fans on, it would be negligent to say the game was all sunshine and rainbows or that great basketball was played across the board. The team greatly struggled bringing the ball up the floor against the Grizzlies' pressure. The Bulls totaled 13 turnovers, many of which led to easy fast break points for Memphis, and they consistently lost valuable seconds on the shot clock just trying to get into their offense.

An interesting wrinkle with this Summer League squad is the lack of a true point guard playing heavy minutes. Kennedy Chandler logged 19 minutes, but was rarely given the primary ball-handling responsibilities. Instead, guards Dailyn Swain and Jaylin Sellers were largely responsible for bringing the ball up the floor, but they are used to playing roles where they are the ones scoring, not facilitating. The 2026-27 Bulls are built to run and have the potential to thrive in the halfcourt, but they need someone to set the table. That's where Josh Giddey comes in.

The Bulls infamously landed Josh Giddey in a deal that sent fan favorite and All-Defense caliber guard Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Since then, he has played two seasons with the Bulls and signed a four-year contract with the team last offseason. At just 23 years old with three years remaining on his contract, Giddey has a great chance to remain part of this rebuilding Bulls core, and his skill set is exactly what this team needs.

While Josh Giddey has his flaws, his strengths are the focus here. For starters, there are not many guards in the NBA who facilitate at the level Giddey does. Last season, he averaged 9.1 assists per game, placing him among the league's best. Almost more important than the numbers themselves is how Giddey creates those opportunities. Many guards prefer to dribble the ball up the floor themselves. Giddey loves to throw it ahead after securing a rebound. He is a phenomenal outlet passer who wants to get the ball up the floor as quickly as possible.

That unselfish ability to push the pace is why this team can thrive with him at point guard. Wilson and Matas Buzelis are monsters in transition with and without the ball. Having a guard who is an excellent rebounder and wants to get the ball to them early in transition will be key to unlocking this team's offensive ceiling while maximizing the development of its young players.

Giddey is no slouch when it comes to passing in the halfcourt, although his facilitating style looks different from most halfcourt playmakers. Many of the league's best halfcourt passers thrive off their own scoring gravity. They understand they're drawing extra defensive attention and know how to take advantage of it. Giddey is not the scorer those players are, so he doesn't command that same level of attention. What he lacks in that area, he makes up for by being one of the league's best connective passers, often seeing his next pass before he even catches the ball. The Bulls have a roster full of great cutters and elite athletes who should thrive alongside Giddey's connective passing.

Wilson showed he is a special player on Friday night, and his three-point shooting has already unlocked another aspect of his game that most did not expect to see this early. That said, many of the shots he made were heavily contested and self-created. Those are valuable qualities to have, and he thrived creating for himself in college as well, but it certainly won't hurt to have a point guard like Giddey helping him generate easier looks on the perimeter and in the paint. Giddey's playmaking is the key to unlocking Wilson at the NBA level, and unlocking Wilson is the key to the Bulls' success.