'Sweet home Chicago': Could Davis join Giddey?

• ‍Josh Giddey locks in $100M deal with Chicago Bulls‍
• Josh Giddey's full NBA Profile‍
• Latest News: Read more about Aussies in the NBA here

The Chicago Bulls spent the off-season in a stalemate with Josh Giddey over his contract extension. Now the six-time NBA champions are building around him.

Giddey, 23, led the Bulls to a 6-1 start to the 2025-26 season after finally signing a four-year USD $100M deal in October.

They're now 6-5 with Giddey missing the last two games. Giddey's numbers are elite: 21.3 points per game, 9.5 rebounds and 9.6 assists.

Josh Giddey's 2025-26 Season Box Score

• GP: 9 │ MIN: 34.2 │ FGM: 7.7 │ FGA: 16.6 │ FG%: 46.1 │ 3PM: 1.7 │ 3PA: 4.4 │ 3P%: 38.6 │ FTM: 4.4 │ FTA: 5.8 │ FT%: 75.9 │ REB: 9.5 │ AST: 9.6 │ STL: 1.0 │ BLK: 0.3 │ TO: 3.5 │ PF: 1.9 │ PTS: 21.3 │ EFF: 28.7

The NBA rumour mill is spinning quickly ahead of December 15, 2025, with trade speculation growing the Bulls are monitoring Dallas Mavericks' Chicago-born superstar Anthony Davis for a potential trade. Teams can start trading players on December 15.

Dallas is in disarray, firing GM Nico Harrison, who was the architect of the Luka Doncic trade to Los Angeles for Davis last season, potential Australian Boomer Kyrie Irving, born in Melbourne, out injured, No1 Draft pick Cooper Flagg experimented with at point guard, Australian Boomer Dante Exum out injured and, of course, Davis ... out injured.

“I can tell you teams are already having internal conversations, like: ‘What would the price point be? What do we think their price point is going to be?’ Obviously this is like shell shock time for the Mavericks, they have a new front office, I don’t think anything is really going on,” NBA Insider Zach Lowe said on The Zach Lowe Show.

Injured Bulls guard Coby White and Nikola Vucevic packaged with draft picks are being touted for Davis.

“Vooch’s (Vucevic) shooting goes up and down, but the way he plays clears the paint for Giddey, and Davis doesn’t play like that,” Lowe said.

“So this Giddey freight train to the rim is going to be trickier in that sense. Giddey needs the paint to do what he’s doing now..

“But the Bulls have good cap flexibility going forward, this would almost be a free agency signing for them. You could sell me on it.

“It’s an identity change midstream during a happy time for a franchise that hasn’t had many in the last five to 10 years.”

NBA insider Marc Stein said wrote "it’s certainly possible" Davis would be made available.

“There has been no suggestion in the immediate aftermath of Harrison’s ouster that he would try to force his exit just because Harrison, who openly loved him and wanted to build around him, has abruptly been dismissed,” Stein said on his Substack.

“It’s believed the Mavericks will work with Davis’ camp over the next two-plus months as they decide whether to pursue an in-season trade."

NBA veteran John Wall said: "You can’t believe everything you hear on the news, but you be hearing that he wants to go back to Chicago and see what’s going on.

"So, I think they’re trying to blow it up and build around Cooper Flagg and get rid of some of the other pieces, but they are one of those dark horse teams if they can stay healthy — keep AD there and let Kyrie come back.

"I feel like they could’ve been a team in the West, but I think with Nico Harrison’s firing they might end up going in a different direction."

Even more frustrating for already disgruntled Mavericks fans is Davis, 32, has played just 16 games since the trade while Doncic, 26, is averaging 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.9 assists for the Lakers this season.

Doncic, much like Dallas fans, is still coming to terms with one of the most shocking trades in NBA history.

“Dallas, fans, players, always have a special place in my heart," Doncic said yesterday.

"I thought I was going to stay there forever but I didn't. They’ll always be a special place for me. Always I can call it home.

"Right now, I'm focused on the Lakers, trying to move on.”

Davis is the first year of a three-year, USD $175 million deal with a player option in 2027-28. The Bulls have about USD $90M in expiring contracts this season and all of their draft picks.

From an off-season stalemate with point guard Giddey, who wanted USD $30M per season and the Bulls USD $20M leading to a USD $25M compromise, to the Australian becoming the centrepiece of the franchise to build around.

The only issue with Davis is availability, not trade availability, but actually his ability to put together a stretch of games without injury.

One thing is for certain, when Giddey's contract is done it will be one of the league's most undervalued.

When it comes to negotiate his third contract these are the scenarios to monitor:

• ‍Age at next deal: ~26‍
• Contract type: Third NBA contract‍
• Rights: Full Bird rights with Chicago‍
• Cap environment: Salary cap projected to rise into the $175–$185M range by 2029–30‍
• Role: Starting point guard / primary playmaker with size, rebounding, and improved scoring

Tier 1 – Upper-Middle Starter Contract

$35–$40 million per year: This is the range for high-impact starters who are not All-NBA but are pivotal to winning teams.
Recent comps:

• Jalen Brunson (before becoming underpaid)
• Tyrese Maxey (non-max escalator path)
• Dejounte Murray
• Jrue Holiday (post-prime money)

If Giddey remains:

• A 17–19 PPG scorer
• 7–8 RPG
• 6–8 APG
• Efficient at the rim, average from three
• A plus defender at his new Bulls size/role

He lands here comfortably.

Tier 2 – Fringe-Max / Near-Max Contract

$40–$47 million per year: This is the range for players just below the All-NBA threshold who still have major creation responsibility.

He reaches this range if:

• His scoring jumps into the 20–21 PPG bracket
• Three-point shooting stabilises at 35–36%
• He maintains elite rebounding/playmaking for his position
• Chicago becomes a playoff-level offense with him as a top-two initiator

This is realistic if his offensive development continues. Not guaranteed — but not far-fetched.

Tier 3 – True Max (25% / 30% of cap)

$48–$55 million per year: Giddey only reaches this if he maintains his statistical leap or receives an offer sheet-level push in UFA.

But:

• He cannot receive a Designated Player (Supermax).
• He can still receive a standard max if a team believes he’s a future All-NBA calibre engine.

This is the top end of his plausible range, not the expectation.

Projected Contract  Likely Outcome)

4 years, $150–$168 million (Equivalent to $37–$42M AAV in the rising cap era.)

This aligns with:

• Chicago’s Bird-rights leverage
• His age
• His upswing in production
• Recent guard/wing extension markets
• The premium on oversized playmakers

If he becomes a 22–9–9 player

• ‍4 years, $175–$190M, or
• 5 years, $220–$240M (Bulls-only max)

That’s the “All-Star engine” path.

Chicago Bulls – Draft Capital Summary (2026–2032)

Overall position: Chicago holds one of the cleanest, most flexible draft sheets in the league. They own all of their first-round picks from 2026–2032, plus one incoming first from Portland.

Key assets:

• 2026 1st (via POR) – Lottery protected (1–14). Converts to Chicago only if Portland makes the playoffs.
• 2026 1st (own) – Fully unencumbered.
• 2027–2032 1st (own) – Full control of every future first.
• 2028–2032 2nds (own) – Five consecutive second-rounders.

Flexibility: Chicago can legally trade up to six future first-round picks. The Bulls have zero outgoing picks, giving them strong leverage for star-trade packages or continued roster building around their young core.

Assessment: A top-third draft-capital position league-wide — clean, simple, and valuable.

Dallas Mavericks – Draft Capital Summary (2026–2032)

Overall position: Dallas’ board is much more complex due to swaps, three-team obligations, and multi-team “most/least favourable” rules. They still hold significant assets but with less certainty and less outbound control.

Key assets & complications:

• 2026 1st (own) – Clean.
• 2028 1st (own) – Subject to OKC swap rights (Thunder can take DAL’s pick).
• 2029 1st (own) –
  • HOU receives the two most favourable among: HOU 1st, DAL 1st, PHX 1st.
  • BKN receives the least favourable of those three.
  • Dallas effectively has no control over its 2029 1st outcome.
• 2029 1st (via LAL) – No protections. A valuable incoming asset.
• 2030 1st (own) –
  • Subject to a three-team ladder with SAS and MIN.
  • Spurs get the most favourable of SAS/DAL/MIN (unless MIN lands No. 1).
  • Dallas receives the less favourable of DAL/SAS.
  • MIN receives the least favourable of MIN and the SAS/DAL better pick.
• 2030 2nd (via PHI) – Clean.
• 2031 & 2032 1sts (own) – Clean.
• 2032 2nd (own) – Clean.

Flexibility: Dallas can trade future picks, but the layers of swap rights and favourability rules mean:

• 2028, 2029, and 2030 1st-round picks cannot be moved outright, only conditionally.
• True clarity only exists from 2031 onward.

Assessment: Dallas has solid volume but low certainty, ranking middle-third league-wide in usable draft capital. The 2029 LAL pick is the standout tradeable asset.