Bulls need to see more from guard Josh Giddey, especially defensively

MILWAUKEE – It is not going well for Josh Giddey this season.

It’s evident in his body language, it’s obvious in his words after games.

The Bulls point guard is watching his minutes dissipate, he hasn’t been closing games for the last few weeks, he’s been pulled a handful of times for blown defensive assignments, and only Ayo Dosunmu (minus-119) has an uglier plus/minus, with Giddey sitting at a minus-113.

What the 6-foot-8 Aussie does have on his side? Time and a willingness to work on his deficiencies.

No one knows that more than Billy Donovan.

The coach has an open-door policy of communication, and few players are knocking on that door as often as Giddey has this season. Whether it’s a face-to-face sit-down with Donovan or a text message requesting to watch film together, Giddey has shown a self-awareness of what ails his game.

But that leads to one fundamental question: Are his weaknesses even fixable?

“Is he going to be an elite defender in the NBA? Probably not,” Donovan said, addressing the defensive issues Giddey has had and the improvements he can focus on. “(Giddey) can master coverage, he can master footwork, he can master, ‘I’m 6-foot-8, I don’t need to close all the way out, I need to figure out my footspeed, I don’t need to get blown by.’ He has size and IQ, and I do think he’s got to get way more physical in my opinion.”

That lack of physicality was on display yet again in the loss to the Bucks, as Giddey allowed Giannis Antetokounmpo to get a free run down the lane in the third quarter, and rather than put his body in front for the charge or at least challenge the former MVP at the rim, Giddey did a half-hearted slap, allowing the Greek Freak to get the hoop and the harm.

Even ESPN’s commentators called Giddey out as “not being interested in doing anything defensively except stepping out of the way there.”

Because Giddey was dealing with a bum ankle after the Olympics most of the summer and compounded by a condensed Bulls November schedule, there just hasn’t been the practice time to try and build up the guard on the defensive side of the ball.

Foot-work drills, film study, the weight room … he needs it all.

“No, it’s got to be much better,” Donovan said of Giddey’s footwork. “I would liken it to he’s got to become an expert in coverages. He’s got to be really great and detailed in that.”

It hasn’t been all bad. He did show physicality in the win over Detroit, at least attempting to blow-up screens. His first plus-game (plus-13) in plus/minus in the last four.

“That for me is the most important thing,” Giddey said. “Plus/minus is not always accurate, but it is a good representation of the impact the player has while he’s on the floor. So I’ve always wanted to keep that in the plus. As you guys know I’m very hard on myself and I think that’s a great way to dictate your impact on the game.”

Giddey, however, needs to start impacting more games soon.

Acquired from Oklahoma City in the Alex Caruso deal last offseason, Giddey is due for an extension this summer. According to a source, Giddey, who was selected No. 6 overall, was initially looking for a Jalen Suggs-like deal after the Orlando point guard was extended for five years at $150.5 million (about $30 million per year).

Those negotiations stalled in the fall, so Giddey will be a restricted free agent.

Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has insisted that he was looking to keep Giddey long term, but that was before the weaknesses in his game were seen first-hand.

Of the top six picks in that ’21 draft class, Giddey is the only player not receiving an extension yet.

Expect Donovan’s door to stay busy.