Can Josh Giddey lead the NBA in assists next season? It may sound bold, but the numbers say the conversation is real.
On today’s Chicago Bulls Central, Haize breaks down why Josh Giddey does not need an unrealistic statistical explosion to enter the assist-title race. Giddey averaged 9.1 assists in only 32.1 minutes per game last season, trailing league leader Nikola Jokić by just 1.6 assists per game. He did not officially qualify because he played only 54 games, but on a raw per-game basis, he would have ranked behind only Jokić and Cade Cunningham.
Haize compares Giddey to the last three NBA assist champions: Jokić, Trae Young and Tyrese Haliburton. The recent assist-title range has been roughly 10.7 to 11.6 assists per game, meaning Giddey likely needs to add about 1.6 to 2.0 assists per game to become a true favorite.
The Bulls’ new roster gives him a real chance. Norman Powell gives Chicago a proven shooting scorer, Nic Claxton gives Giddey a vertical lob threat, Caleb Wilson is built for transition, cuts and hit-ahead passes, and Matas Buzelis could become the secondary scoring partner that turns more Giddey reads into assists.
Plus, Haize lays out what Giddey must do to actually win the assist crown: play enough games, reach the 10.7 to 11.0 assist range, remain Chicago’s clear primary initiator, improve his scoring gravity and cut down the wasteful turnovers.
🔥 Topics include:
- Can Josh Giddey lead the NBA in assists?
- Giddey vs Jokić, Trae and Haliburton
- Why availability is the first hurdle
- How Norman Powell helps Giddey’s assist numbers
- Why Nic Claxton changes the Bulls’ pick-and-roll geometry
- Caleb Wilson as a perfect transition target
- Matas Buzelis as Giddey’s secondary scoring partner
- Why Chicago’s pace already supports assist production
- What Giddey must clean up to reach 11 assists per game
- Giddey’s realistic and high-end projections
🎧 Tap in with Haize on Chicago Bulls Central for the full breakdown!
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