The Athletic NBA Daily: Can Josh Giddey Carry the Bulls?

Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: Dave DuFour (D), Guest: Joelle Lorenzi (C), Bulls Beat Writer

Overview of the Episode

This episode of The Athletic NBA Daily centers on the Chicago Bulls' upcoming season, with a focus on the team's new direction after securing Josh Giddey on a four-year, $100 million extension. Dave DuFour welcomes Bulls beat reporter Joelle Lorenzi to evaluate Giddey’s fit, discuss the Bulls’ current status in the NBA landscape, and debate the franchise’s long-term direction. The conversation dives deep into internal development, challenges ahead, and whether the Bulls can move out of their perennial “NBA purgatory” of play-in contention.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Offseason Moves: Josh Giddey Extension & Drafting Noah Senge

• Josh Giddey’s Extension: Considered the major move of Chicago’s offseason (02:55). Locking up Giddey as a “for sure asset” was deemed crucial given the Bulls’ limited high-quality assets.

  “Securing one of those assets, a for sure asset, was important, no matter the way you dice it.” – Lorenzi [03:25]

• Noah Senge Drafted: Noted as an intriguing but secondary move. The focus remained on Giddey as the face of the team’s youth-oriented development plan.

2. Giddey’s Fit and Expectations for 2025–26

• Production Outlook: Post-All-Star-break numbers cited (near triple-double averages, improved shooting) are expected to be the norm moving forward due to roster construction and Giddey’s new role (05:08, 05:40).

  “The offense is going to be his for better or worse, and I think you'll see similar numbers.” – Lorenzi [06:48]

• Shooting Sustainability: Skepticism about his elevated late-season three-point percentage (45%) being sustainable.

  “I wouldn’t bank on that. I think that would dip for sure.” – Lorenzi [07:32]

• Overall Impact: Giddey is seen as transformational for the Bulls’ playing style, promoting a faster, more fun brand of basketball, but his efficiency and fit have clear limitations, particularly on defense.

3. Defensive Concerns and Backcourt Construction

• Defensive Weakness: Significant doubts about whether a backcourt of Giddey and Kobe White can support a competitive defensive identity, especially with Nikola Vučević as a vulnerable backline anchor (08:05).

4. Who Can Lead the Bulls Beyond Mediocrity?

• Internal Development Focus: The Bulls hope their next true first option emerges from within, but uncertainty looms.

  “The guy that needs to be the guy for them probably isn’t on the team right now.” – Lorenzi [09:05]

• Prospect Spotlight: Modest Bouzelis highlighted as the second-most important developmental piece alongside Giddey, praised for his switchable skillset and encouraging rookie season (09:59–11:11).

5. Kobe White’s Role and Future

• Best Player Debate: Kobe White is probably the Bulls’ current best player “by slim margins,” though his salary demands may not fit the Bulls’ need for flexibility during a non-contending cycle (11:50).
• Asset Management Critique: The Bulls’ history of holding assets too long and potentially repeating that mistake with White. Lorenzi advocates for trading White at the deadline, though past patterns suggest otherwise (13:03–14:14).

  “I think it should be a deadline move…he proved he’s a good player and probably worth that money to somebody.” – Lorenzi [13:41]

6. Franchise Direction and Ownership Philosophy

• Stuck in the Middle: Bulls have hovered at 39–40 wins for years, always aiming for the play-in rather than fully rebuilding or competing at the top (16:09, 16:53).
• Ownership’s Reluctance to Tank: Ownership prioritizes sellouts and brand value over transformative rebuilds, despite “internal development” being the messaging from the front office (16:53–18:50).

  “The direction…they constantly harp on is internal development…the guy has to be in the building for them, and I just don’t know that it’s likely.” – Lorenzi [18:13]

7. Draft Focus vs. Chasing Low Playoff Seeds

• Next Draft Praised: Importance of aiming for a high pick in what’s described as a “historically great” draft (20:02–20:14).
• Organizational Inertia: The Bulls’ approach is expected to remain unchanged—likely competing for the 9–10 seed without true progress (21:09–22:03).

8. Likelihood of a True Rebuild or Tank

• Tanking Unlikely: Both host and guest agree that, despite the opportunities, the Bulls are unlikely to embrace a full teardown or tank this season (22:54–23:01).

  “I don’t think this is the year. Maybe two years from now when all hell breaks loose.” – Lorenzi [23:02]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Giddey Extension Significance:

  "Locking up one of your surefire assets was important. It was probably the biggest thing they did all summer." – Joelle Lorenzi [03:25]

• The Limits of Internal Development:

  “The guy that needs to be the guy for them probably isn’t on the team right now. He probably doesn’t exist for them right now.” – Joelle Lorenzi [09:05]

• Franchise Stasis:

  "This team has been a 40 win team for the last three seasons. Regardless of the guys on the roster, regardless of who the best player on the roster is." – Dave DuFour [16:14]

• Ownership Priorities:

  “They are passionate about the fans and, you know, in a sick way that they want to see them every night and they want to sell out the building, but maybe not so much in that they want the fans to have [a contender].” – Joelle Lorenzi [17:23]

• On the Near-Future Outcome:

  “Are we, are we locking in 39 wins in a playing spot for the Chicago Bulls in April?” – Dave DuFour [21:09]
  “I would think they should end up worse…I think maybe they win 37 or 38; it's not going to be a supreme dip.” – Joelle Lorenzi [21:22]

• Prospects of Tanking:

  "Do you envision a world where that [tanking] can happen?" – DuFour
  "No." – Lorenzi [22:54]

• Final Summation:

  “If we’re talking about internal development, development and…playing that, that playing game, the nine, ten playing game—those things are not synonymous. Like, that's not development…It's pretty pointless experience and you're not helping yourself as a franchise because now you're picking 12th.” – Joelle Lorenzi [23:02]

Important Segment Timestamps

• 02:14 Introduction and Joelle Lorenzi joins
• 02:55 Bulls’ offseason moves: securing Josh Giddey, Noah Senge pick
• 05:08 Giddey extension details and season expectations
• 08:05 Defensive concerns with team construction
• 09:05 Who needs to become “the guy” for the Bulls?
• 11:50 Best player debate: Kobe White vs. others, White’s future
• 13:03 Bulls’ history with asset management, White’s trade deadline status
• 16:09 The frustration of permanent mediocrity and long-term direction
• 16:53 Ownership’s reluctance to tank & internal development focus
• 20:02 Argument for tanking in a strong draft year
• 22:54 Bulls’ likely outcome: not tanking this season

Overall Tone and Closing Thoughts

The discussion is frank, wry, and tinged with exasperation at the Bulls' organizational inertia. Both the host and the guest emphasize the futility of “staying in the middle,” spotlighting ownership’s focus on sellouts over winning, and the limitations of internal development when there is little true star potential on the roster. Giddey’s addition might raise the Bulls’ profile, but the consensus is that real contention is far off unless Chicago pivots its philosophy.

Useful For: Any NBA fan seeking honest, clear-eyed insight into the state of the Bulls as of Fall 2025—especially regarding Josh Giddey’s impact, the roster’s young core, and the structural challenges that keep the franchise in limbo.