Josh Giddey has spent the Chicago Bulls’ preseason making life easier for his teammates. The question heading into the final week before the regular season is whether he is doing enough to make life difficult for opposing defenses, too. Giddey handed out nine assists in Wednesday’s 125-104 win over Milwaukee, but scored just six points on four field-goal attempts. It was another example of a pass-first approach that has become difficult to ignore — even as the Chicago Bulls have looked increasingly comfortable moving the ball under new coach Tiago Splitter.
There is a positive case for Giddey’s approach. Chicago had 35 assists on 42 made field goals against Milwaukee, while five Bulls scored at least 15 points. Matas Buzelis led the way with 19 points, Leonard Miller added 18, and Norman Powell scored 16. The ball was moving, the shots were falling, and the Bulls won comfortably. But with opening night approaching, the bigger question is whether Giddey can maintain that balance when defenses start taking away his teammates’ easy opportunities.
Josh Giddey’s Shot Attempts Tell a Bigger Story
The Milwaukee game was not an isolated example. Through Chicago’s first four preseason games, Giddey has made seven of 20 field-goal attempts, averaging five attempts per game. His scoring totals have been 7, 13, 7 and 6 points, while he has recorded 27 assists. The playmaking is undeniable. The shooting volume is harder to dismiss, particularly for a starting guard expected to help organize an offense that wants to play quickly.
There is an important distinction, however, between refusing to shoot and choosing different ways to score. Giddey has made 15 of 19 free throws during the preseason, evidence that he is still getting opportunities at the line even when he is not taking many shots from the field. Last season, he averaged 17 points, 9.1 assists and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 36.4% from three-point range, according to his NBA profile. Chicago does not need him to become a volume shooter overnight. It does need the threat of his scoring to remain real enough that defenders cannot concentrate exclusively on the players he is trying to find.
That is where the distinction matters. Giddey’s passing can create excellent looks for Buzelis, Powell and the Bulls’ young forwards. But if opponents become comfortable giving him space and daring him to shoot, those passing lanes may become harder to find. The challenge is not to replace his instincts as a facilitator. It is to make defenses respect both parts of his game.
Leonard Miller Gives the Bulls Another Scoring Option
Miller offered a compelling contrast against Milwaukee. He scored 18 points on seven-of-11 shooting, hit three of four attempts from beyond the arc and grabbed seven rebounds in 18 minutes. It followed his 26-point performance against Denver, giving the forward another strong argument for a meaningful role in Splitter’s rotation. His willingness to attack, cut without the ball and take open shots gives Chicago another player capable of turning a possession into points.
Miller’s emergence should make Giddey’s job easier, not harder. A point guard who can create for a forward scoring efficiently is doing something valuable, and Chicago’s balanced production against Milwaukee showed what that can look like. Buzelis’ five three-pointers and Powell’s 16 points also underlined that the Bulls have several options when the offense is flowing. The challenge is making sure that balance survives when the opposition tightens up and the easy looks disappear.
The Bulls Need Giddey to Find the Right Balance
Splitter’s first preseason has offered encouraging signs of a team willing to share the ball. Against Milwaukee, Chicago made 20 three-pointers and finished with 35 assists. That is the sort of collective offense the coach wants to build, and Giddey is central to it. His nine assists were a major part of the performance, even if his own scoring barely registered.
The final preseason game against Minnesota gives Chicago one more opportunity to see how its offense functions before the regular season begins. Giddey does not need to chase points or abandon the passing instincts that make him valuable. But the Bulls will be better equipped to handle the tougher nights if he recognizes when the best pass is no longer the best play. His preseason numbers raise a fair question; they do not yet prove there is a problem. For Chicago, the goal is not more shots for the sake of shots. It’s a Giddey who can make defenses pay when they focus too heavily on everyone else.
Josh Giddey Is Choosing Assists Over Shots. Should Bulls Be Concerned?