Josh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls had a solid perfomance at the Paris Olympics. Here are five takeaways

#1. Bulls fans should be more optimistic about the Caruso trade

The Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso swap in June was unpopular with the Chicago faithful and many insiders around the league did not few the transaction favorably for the Bulls.

Without a question, Giddey had a challenging 2023-24 season both on and off the court. If a person moves beyond the social media post and his short comings in the playoffs, then it becomes clear that the Bulls have acquired a 21-year-old, former 6th overall pick who has three years of NBA experience and has started every regular season game he has played in. He is a career 14 points per game, 7 rebounds and 6 assists with his three-point shooting improving each year. He fits with the new timeline with the Bulls younger core something that Caruso did not do anymore.

As for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Giddey was the young leader on a veteran Australian team that competed against the World’s best. The record of 1-3 might not catch the eye at first, but when watching the games, Giddey’s impact was noticeable. He finished his Olympic play with 17.5 points per game on 47% from 3 to go along with nearly 8 rebounds and 6 assists. His performance, at the very least, should temporarily tone down the rehetoric that Giddey and the Bulls faced after the initial trade.

#2. Giddey will be an unconventional point guard

Giddey has strong court vision with the ability to pass with either hand. His eyes are constantly up and he loves to push the pace to create opportunities for himself and for others. His 6-foot-8 inch frame helps him see over defensive pressure and e appeared to be a vocal leader for the Aussies in the Olympics, an under-appreciated skill for floor generals.

Giddey does not have elite quickness. He has strong handles, but when pressured he just uses his size to try to get the ball out of his hands. Something to keep an eye on as the Bulls begin the season, is if Giddey’s skillset lends him to being able to get a team into half court offense especially if he facing strong perimeter defense.

Billy Donovan might be contemplating using a 1a and 1b point guard approach with Giddey and Coby White. This would take the pressure off one player to run the offense. Both players have point guard qualities, but would not qualify as a true point guard and this might be a solution to maximize their skillsets.

#3. Josh Giddey’s shooting woes were overblown

Giddey shot 47% from three in Paris in a limited sample size. This may have been aided by the shorter three point arc, but Giddey also has shown continuous improvement in his first three NBA seasons.

Giddey is a below average three point shooter by NBA standards, but he is closer to league average than a player that will get the red light. The Mavericks gambled in the playoffs and played off Giddey and he struggled in that series. However, the series before against the Pelicans Giddey was 50% from three on 9 out of 18 attempts.

#4. Giddey has significant amount of potential

With over 200 NBA games under his belt, we have a pretty good idea the type of player Josh Giddey is, but at 21 years old it is reasonable to believe that he is not a finished product yet. One area that could benefit Giddey on both ends of the floor is added strength. This may come naturally, but a commitment to his fitness would pay dividends.

As terms of skillset, the continue development of his three point shot is important, but his ability to play at the second level will be critical. Giddey tends to have an all-or-nothing approach on his drives and the development of plan B options will help his game grow.

At 6-foot-8 inches, Giddey has the potential to guard multiple positions to some degree. His final game against Serbia in the Olympics he played with a noticeable defensively intensity. This might be tough to replicate in the 82 NBA game season, but with the shortcomings the Bulls are facing this year on the defensive end, Giddey will have to be compotent if the team is going to have success.

#5. The Bulls have another interesting restricted free agency decision looming

For the third straight year, the Bulls will have an interesting restricted free agency question. With Giddey becoming a focal point of the offense, there is a chance that he puts up sigfnicant countable statisitcs and the Bulls could be in a pricey extension situation or face competition from another franchise. If he does not play well, then you will be in a similar situation to Patrick Williams this year.

Giddey’s Olympic performance has been a bright spot for the Bulls in an otherwise dejecting summer. As training camp is around the corner, the attention on Giddey will remain as he represents a sliver of hope for a franchise that does not have a clear direction.