Whether it’s through development or new opportunities, every season features a handful of breakout candidates. The NBA rewards the best of that bunch with the Most Improved Player award.
As the offseason slows down, most teams have their rosters figured out ahead of the 2024-25 season. The next few months allow ample time to reflect on the new rosters and prepare for next year’s campaign.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes took advantage of the downtime. He listed out five breakout candidates for next season. One included a familiar face for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Josh Giddey was included in the entry. The 21-year-old received a fresh start with the Chicago Bulls after he was dealt there for Alex Caruso. He will return to a more familiar role as a primary ball-handler.
Hughes believes this new setting can bring the best out of Giddey, who is in the final year of his rookie deal and hopes to get a massive extension next offseason with the Bulls.
“Whether they’re right to think so or not, the Bulls clearly view Giddey as a foundational piece. He was the sole return in the trade that sent Alex Caruso to OKC, and DeMar DeRozan is no longer around to sop up touches. Assuming Zach LaVine eventually follows DeRozan out the door (or succumbs to another injury that removes him from the rotation), Giddey may only have Coby White to compete with for control of the offense.
That’s a little different than vying for a share of the action with MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.”
This is a sound argument. Giddey’s problems in OKC were more about fit than talent. He flourished his first two seasons before he was demoted in the pecking order last year.
There’s a strong chance the 21-year-old puts up decent statistics on a bad Bulls squad on its way to the draft lottery.
He must improve on his outside shooting and finishing around the basket to be a high-end starter on a quality team though. But the Bulls are far from dealing with those types of problems.
