One of the most notable parts of this year's NBA offseason has been the lack of movement with restricted free agents. However, one of the top RFAs, Josh Giddey, finally signed a deal to return to the Chicago Bulls. Giddey agreed to a reasonable four-year $100 million contract with the Bulls. This was a compromise for Giddey, who was reportedly seeking a deal worth around $30 million a year.
Just in: Restricted free agent Josh Giddey has reached agreement on a four-year, $100 million deal to re-sign with the Chicago Bulls, agent Daniel Moldovan of Lighthouse Sports Management tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/RtJqf7P679
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 9, 2025
When compared to Jaden McDaniels' five-year $131 ($136 with incentives) million contract that he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves last year, the value of McDaniels' contract is clear. None of this is to say that Giddey's contract is awful value by any means. Regardless, McDaniels is the more valuable and impactful player. As a result, getting McDaniels for slightly more annually than Giddey is a steal for Minnesota.
McDaniels is far more valuable than Giddey
In his first season with the Bulls, Giddey averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists on 46.5/37.8/78.1 shooting splits. These are impressive numbers without a doubt. However, there's real uncertainty about how Giddey would fit with a championship team. He's clearly not a first or even second option on an elite team. Notably, the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Giddey in the 2024 offseason and they followed this up by winning the championship. During the 2024 playoffs, Giddey was played off the floor due to his poor shooting.
Perhaps Giddey's improvements as a shooter last year are real, as he netted a career-high 37.8 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. However, it's just as likely that it was an outlier season. Furthermore, Giddey struggles to play off-ball, and there's a clear ceiling on your team if Giddey is one of your best players. Despite his 6-foot-8 frame, Giddey is a subpar defender.
While his averages of 12.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2 assists on 47.7/33/81.3 shooting splits don't jump off the page, McDaniels is a more impactful player than Giddey. This is in large part due tohis elite-level defense. McDaniels can take stars out of the game and is highly disruptive off the ball. Undoubtedly, he is leaps and bounds better than Giddey on defense, who struggles both on and off the ball.
Offensively, McDaniels is nowhere near Giddey's level as a playmaker. However, despite inconsistent shooting, McDaniels is a more impactful off-ball player given his abilities as a cutter and screener. McDaniels is also a far more efficient scorer at the rim. Throughout his career, McDaniels' impact on winning has been clear. Ultimately, McDaniels is the more malleable and impactful role player.
Sure, Giddey is two years younger than McDaniels, and he could still improve. As of now, though, McDaniels is the better player, and this archetype typically has more success in the NBA. Again, by no means was it the wrong decision for the Bulls to sign Giddey to this deal. Still, a year later and especially after this deal, McDaniels' contract is starting to look like a steal.