CHICAGO – Josh Giddey said what he was supposed to say on Wednesday afternoon. Speaking with reporters at the Advocate Center after his first full practice in weeks, the 23-year-old acknowledged the business of basketball.
“I think the human aspect of it is you’re losing your friends. You’re losing guys you have become close with. But it’s part of the NBA,” Giddey said. “We all get paid money to play the game, and we all know that when we sign up, trades can happen.”
February 5 proved to be the end of a chapter for the Bulls. The front office decided to move on from a shockingly long list of players, reaffirming their intent to begin a new era around Giddey and fellow lottery pick Matas Buzelis. On the one hand, it’s actually a rather flattering move for both. Every player works hard to be viewed as a fundamental building block, and the door has now swung wide open for each to advance further in their careers.
On the other hand, an even more difficult road now rests ahead. Not only have the expectations risen for Giddey and Company, but he will have to navigate the harsh reality of a roster teardown. The Bulls have yet to win a game since the NBA’s trade deadline and have only one win over the last three-plus weeks. In fact, with three straight playoff teams and a surging Hornets squad on the schedule next, there is a very real world where the Bulls go one full month with just a single victory.
Jan 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) dribbles the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
The reality of both the schedule and the nearly unrecognizable locker room is impossible to ignore. So, as polished a spokesman as Giddey attempted to be, even he could not deny the challenges that lie ahead:
“I think winning is still the No. 1 priority, but I think you have to shift your mindset. You’re going from continuity, everyone knows each other to basically you got a new team coming in,” Giddey said. “You got to find ways. You learn how guys play. You integrate guys on the offense and defense. The perspective changes on how you play. But, for me, I think winning is above all. I think if guys buy into what we’re going, I think it’ll be all right.”
As if missing 19 of the team’s last 23 games did not present enough of an obstacle for Giddey, he will now have to shake off the rust while attempting to unite an entirely different group. The guard had played some of the best basketball of his career with the previous unit, recording borderline All-Star numbers with 18.6 points, 8.8 assists, and 8.6 rebounds a night. Giddey (7) has even continued to rank Top 3 in triple-doubles this season despite the missed time, sitting behind only Nikola Jokic (20) and Jalen Johnson (10).
Trying to recreate that magic alongside this new roster isn’t going to be easy. Even more frustrating, it’s possible the effort he puts into building chemistry over the next handful of weeks fails to carry much weight. The Bulls are expected to undergo another massive roster shake-up in a matter of months, as they have six players currently on expiring contracts.
Nevertheless, Giddey’s job isn’t to think about that.
“Us as players, whatever the front office is doing in terms of trade or bringing in personnel, our job is to go out there and win games,” Giddey said. “We don’t look deeply into what the plan is moving forward. We try to take it one day at a time, one game at a time. This is the team now for the last 27 games. We have to go to war with each other. When the summer comes, the front office will make decisions they think are best for the team.”
Some fans may feel as though Giddey’s return is counterintuitive. It sure feels as if improving lottery odds may be in the Bulls’ best interest this season, and Giddey has recorded a career-best on/off differential all season long.
However, there is also a strong case to make that having Giddey on the floor will make those looming decisions that much easier for the front office. The Bulls need to know who and what works around their core piece.
Not to mention, as inconsequential as the Bulls’ next 27 games may feel, the players still have to play. Whether it be newbies fighting for their next payday or Matas Buzelis fighting to prove his worth, players will always find value in stepping on the hardwood. This is why everyone will likely be happy to see Giddey back in the lineup on Thursday night.
“It’s definitely going to help a little because they’re not going to have that much pressure on to make plays out there when you have guys like Josh, Tre, Styx playing,” Buzelis said of Giddey’s awaited return. “It’s definitely going to help, and I just feel like we’re going to connect more.”
The Bulls have yet to officially name Giddey as active for Thursday night’s first of seven straight at the United Center, but he confirmed his intention to play the day prior. Tre Jones and Jalen Smith are also expected to re-enter the fold and give the Bulls a much-needed whiff of familiarity. As far as potential impact goes, however, no one is as important as Giddey. The team’s lead facilitator will have to serve as a helping hand, even if he doesn’t quite know who he is helping or where he is leading them.
