‘I don’t want that player’: Josh Giddey blindsided in NBA great’s savage swipe

Aussie NBA star Josh Giddey has been named and shamed in a brutal swipe by a former three-time All-Star.

Aussie Josh Giddey has been slammed by former three-time NBA All-Star and 2003 Most Improved Player Gilbert Arenas in a brutal take-down.

Giddey had a strong, but brief performance in the Bulls’ 138-129 loss to reigning NBA champions the Boston Celtics.

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Giddey had four points on 2-from-6 from the floor and missed both his three-point attempts, but was the distributor with a game-high nine assists as well as eight rebounds and three steals with a +14 rating.

But he was also limited to just 24 minutes as coach Billy Donovan chose Lonzo Ball, who is recently back from a wrist injury, down the stretch in a tight game, despite the veteran only contributing two points, three rebounds, five assists and two steals in 22 minutes with a +/- of minus-16.

Veteran Bulls reporter KC Johnson tweeted during the match that Giddey was “playing some of the best defence of his season thus far”.

Josh Giddey isn’t setting the world on fire. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

But it appears Giddey’s deficiencies are outshining his positive attributes for many people with questions over his defence and three-point shooting haunting the Aussie.

While Giddey was given the nickname “SLOB Wizard” when he was at the Oklahoma City Thunder due to his vision from SideLine Out of Bounds passes and some incredible passes on his highlight reel, he was deemed surplus to requirements and shipped off to the rebuilding Chicago.

But the deficiencies in his game and the fact that he’s not taken over in Chicago saw the Aussie put forward by Arenas as the example of “stat stuffers” who don’t actually impact games but put up good numbers in multiple categories.

Josh Giddey was in the crosshairs. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

And he called Giddey out by name.

“A general manager told me this — how they are drafting today is they’re drafting stat-stuffers,” Arenas began on his YouTube show Gil’s Arena.

“So they are looking at guys that can do everything.

“That makes sense if you’re talking about the Lukas (Doncic), the Wembys (Victor Wembanyama), the Shais (Gilgeous-Alexander) … 36 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists — those guys.

“But when you’re talking about I’m going to draft the guy who’s averaging 8 (points), 5 (rebounds), and 4 (assists) — no, f**k him.

“I don’t want that player. He don’t do nothing for me. His stats are good because it’s needed in a game. It’s not impressive, inspirational what he’s doing. I need my star or my second best player to do that.

“They’re just getting regular people that are 6’7 and 6’9 that can give me 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. They’re trying to turn those guys into stars.

“Josh Giddey? I don’t want that player. Be good at something first. Don’t be average, don’t be average.

“Either be a great passer, a great rebounder, or a great scorer. Don’t be the 7,7, and 7 — f**k off with that bulls**t.”

For the record, Giddey is currently averaging 11.7 points, 6 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game in 26.9 minutes.

The man is an elite passer. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Gilbert Arenas has slammed Josh Giddey. Photo: YouTube

And while he’s had his moments to start the season, it’s unclear how he fits into the side’s long-term vision after his bid for a rookie extension was knocked back by the Bulls.

Giddey was reportedly seeking a minimum $US30m ($A45m) per year on his next deal.

Shortly after being traded to the Bulls, Giddey said his potential contract extension was “not the be-all, end-all for me” and “either way is fine”.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said he was told “there was never really any meaningful negotiations there”.

Jake Fischer of The Stein Line revealed the Bulls had never offered a contract extension through the extension window, with the ownership wanting to observe and assess the Aussie before committing to him long-term.

Originally published as ‘I don’t want that player’: Josh Giddey blindsided in NBA great’s savage swipe