And then there were two … Josh Giddey re-signs with Bulls

Two of the four restricted free agent dominoes have fallen.

Guard Josh Giddey on Tuesday reached a deal with the Chicago Bulls. The contract is for four years and $100 million, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The news of Giddey’s deal comes after Cam Thomas signed his qualifying offer with the Brooklyn Nets last week. That leaves Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors and the Sixers’ Quentin Grimes as the only restricted free agents on the market. It’s hard to know which direction those negotiations

will go.

For Giddey, who was reportedly asking for four years and $120 millions, this feels like a strong compromise, especially in the new CBA climate. He’s coming off a career year and is still just 22. He’ll have another chance to hit free agency in his prime while also securing generational wealth. For Thomas, who was not being offered nearly as much as by the Nets, taking the qualifying offer feels risky. Yes, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent next offseason when more teams are expected to have cap space, but how much will he improve his value on a tanking team? Brooklyn has several young players who they’ll want to give the ball to. How does Thomas fit?

Grimes finds himself in a complicated situation. His camp has reportedly been asking for something similar to Giddey’s deal, based on Grimes’ outstanding month of March. The Sixers aren’t feeling compelled to offer that type of contract knowing no other team in the NBA has the space to do so. So Grimes can take what the Sixers are offering or take the qualifying offer like Thomas. While Grimes surely has a better chance of fitting into the Sixers’ future than Thomas does with the Nets, it’s still tricky. The Sixers will have four immensely talented guards in the fold with Grimes, Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe.

Grimes is also the oldest of this group of RFAs at 25, meaning he’d be 29 by the end of a four-year deal. Or he could take the qualifying offer and be an unrestricted free agent at 26. Or the sides could meet in the middle. These variables are likely why a resolution hasn’t been found. Grimes wants to get paid. The Sixers want to pay him — but on their terms.

The only solace we have is all this should be over soon. Camp is getting close and it looks like Grimes fully intends to be a Sixer.