While the sides remain stuck in the sand on the terms for a contract extension for the restricted free agent, it's not even August yet in what is being called "a negotiation."

The Athletic recently polled 16 people who work in NBA front offices (including no one from Giddey’s incumbent Chicago Bulls), asking what they would deem a “fair” contract for each member of the restricted quartet: Giddey, Jonathan Kuminga, Quentin Grimes and Cam Thomas. They were granted anonymity in exchange for their candor.

So, last season, when Josh Giddey nailed a half-court buzzer beater to beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the midst of a tight play-in race, it felt like a big deal. Giddey played some phenomenal basketball in the final weeks of the regular season and might have given fans a glimpse of what’s to come.