Josh Giddey might be the most polarizing player on the Chicago Bulls.

Some fans view the 6-foot-8 point guard as a foundational piece of the rebuild and one of the best young playmakers in basketball. Others question whether his unique style of play can ever translate to winning at the highest level.

Both sides have legitimate arguments.

The polarization surrounding Giddey really started before he ever put on a Bulls jersey. Chicago traded fan favorite Alex Caruso, one of the best perimeter defenders in basketball, straight up for Giddey without receiving any additional draft compensation.

Considering the circumstances, it was difficult not to question the value Chicago received.

Giddey's value was arguably at an all-time low after struggling during Oklahoma City's playoff run. His fit alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had become increasingly questionable and he eventually found himself benched during the postseason.

The Thunder were also sitting on a mountain of draft capital, yet the Bulls were unable to pry even a first-round pick away from them.

Making matters worse for Chicago fans, Caruso would become an integral part of Oklahoma City's first championship team while Giddey spent the following season putting up numbers for a mediocre Bulls squad.

It created an easy argument against Giddey. Caruso was helping a team win a championship while Giddey's production wasn't translating into nearly the same team success.

But evaluating Giddey purely through the lens of the Caruso trade also ignores just how productive he has been in Chicago.

As a box score player, Giddey has been excellent for the Bulls. He's averaged 15.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game in a Chicago jersey, establishing himself as one of the NBA's most productive offensive creators.

He's also improved in areas that were major concerns when the Bulls acquired him.

The biggest example is his shooting.

Giddey has shot 37% from three on 4.5 attempts per game with the Bulls, turning what was once one of the biggest holes in his game into a respectable part of his offensive arsenal. Teams can still live with Giddey taking certain perimeter shots, but he's no longer the complete non-shooter he appeared to be at times in Oklahoma City.

There is no denying that Giddey does a lot of things extremely well.

There are also legitimate weaknesses.

At 6-foot-8, Giddey should theoretically be a difficult matchup around the basket, but his finishing has never consistently matched his size. He's improved at defending opposing point guards, but he's still a negative defender overall and offers surprisingly little defensive versatility for a player with his physical traits.

Those flaws matter, but Giddey's biggest obstacle to winning over Bulls fans might simply be the way he plays basketball.

Giddey is an anomaly in the modern NBA, and not just because he's a 6-foot-8 point guard.

He plays point guard in an extremely traditional sense.

Giddey's first instinct is to organize an offense, push the ball in transition and create opportunities for his teammates. He can dominate the basketball as a passer without necessarily dominating it as a scorer. He doesn't consistently hunt his own shot and still struggles to create efficient offense for himself when defenses force him to become the primary scoring option.

That makes him drastically different from many of the point guards leading winning teams around the NBA.

The league has increasingly embraced heliocentric offensive engines. The best lead guards aren't simply responsible for initiating the offense anymore. They are the offense.

They score at an elite level, handle pressure, collapse defenses and create opportunities for everyone around them. NBA Champions Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson are perfect examples. Both are capable of controlling an entire game with the ball in their hands because defenses have to respect their ability to score just as much as their ability to create for others.

Giddey doesn't play that way.

Five seasons into his NBA career, it's becoming increasingly clear that he probably never will.

That doesn't mean he can't become a winning point guard.

It means the Bulls may have to prove that a different kind of point guard can still lead a successful offense.

Giddey's size, rebounding and passing make him one of the league's most unique players. Put enough scoring, shooting, athleticism and defense around him and his unconventional style could become a strength rather than something Bulls fans constantly question.

But until Chicago starts winning, those questions aren't going anywhere.

That's ultimately what the Josh Giddey debate comes down to.

Bulls fans have spent enough time watching mediocre basketball. Chicago has made the playoffs just twice over the last decade and has spent much of that stretch stuck somewhere between contention and a complete rebuild.

Fans aren't looking for another player who can put up impressive numbers on a team that finishes around .500.

They want to win.

If Giddey averages close to a triple-double but the Bulls remain outside the playoff picture, every weakness in his game will continue to be magnified. His defense will be questioned. His inability to consistently create his own shot will be questioned. The Caruso trade will continue to be brought up.

But if Giddey is running point for a Bulls team that starts winning games?

Everything changes.

If Chicago returns to the playoffs with Giddey controlling the offense, his unconventional style suddenly isn't a limitation. It's an identity. His passing becomes more valuable. His rebounding becomes more impressive. The discussion surrounding the Caruso trade becomes less important with every meaningful game the Bulls win.

Giddey doesn't need to become Gilgeous-Alexander or Brunson to win over Chicago.

He just needs to prove that the Bulls can win with Josh Giddey being Josh Giddey.

Winning has a funny way of changing how players are perceived.

For the most polarizing player on the Bulls roster, it might be the only thing that ever truly settles the debate.