WHEN Joshua Giddey was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Chicago Bulls, many believed the Bulls received far less for Alex Caruso than they deserved. Several months later, and Giddey is proving not only that the Bulls were right in targeting him, but that he may be the best player in the trade. 

Through the first few months of the season, Giddey struggled scoring the ball and in the months of November and December he shot 29 per cent and 22 per cent from three-point range. In January he went at just 10.1ppg despite playing the most minutes of any month this season. 

However, things have turned for the better in February. Giddey’s last month has been exceptional, averaging 20 points, eight rebounds and six and a half assists per game. Over that period of 11 games, he has also shot 50 per cent from the field and a striking 54 per cent from beyond the arc.

His defensive metrics are also up this month, averaging 1.5 steals per game and over a block per game. He is taking more shots than he has all year, and his free throw percentage has climbed to its highest point for the season, all while boasting a February total shooting percentage of 64.5 per cent. 

Chicago, currently likely to make the play-in tournament at the end of the regular season, is on a three-game win streak, and despite the 27-38 record, it has split their last 10 games 5-5. Over those three games, Giddey has posted 19/13/9, 26/10/12 and 29/10/4.

Three consecutive superb performances that have led his side to victories over current Eastern Conference playoff teams. Over the last nine games Giddey has played in, he is averaging 23.1 points, 10.9 rebounds and 9 assists per game. These numbers across a season would likely stack up players in All-NBA teams. 

The full list of NBA guards to ever average 22 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists over a nine game span in a single season is Luka Doncic, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, Fat Lever and now Josh Giddey. 

The biggest difference in Giddey’s form is the confidence he is playing with, something that was not present at the beginning of the season. He has gone from being afraid to shoot open threes, to being trusted by Chicago to initiate their offence and run the show.

The knock on the Aussie guard has always been his shooting, and if he can consistently shoot the ball with confidence, there is likely still a high ceiling for the 6’8 former sixth overall pick. 

Giddey is a restricted free agent in the upcoming offseason, and with his uptick in form at a position of need for many teams, he is in the frame to make plenty of money. The question is, after extending Lonzo Ball and buying into Coby White as the scoring guard of the future, will Chicago want to offer a big and long deal to another ball-dominant guard, or will Giddey be better off looking for an offer sheet elsewhere?

An argument could be made that trading Zach Lavine opened a bigger role on offence for Giddey, and he has taken it with both hands. He has put up some of the best numbers of anyone in the world over the last month of basketball.

Unfortunately, in their last outing against Indiana, after posting a fantastic game and leading the Bulls to a win Giddey went down late with what appeared to be an ankle injury. Hopefully this doesn’t force him to miss too much time, and he can return in the latter stages of the season to continue his marvellous form.