The Chicago Bulls front office, led by president Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley, has been properly roasted throughout the last several years by pretty much everyone.
Only the most deluded supporters within Chicago’s still-robust fanbase believe that ownership and the organization’s decision makers have done a competent job since its one respectable half-season in 2021-22. During the first half of that season, the Bulls briefly emerged as the top seed in the Eastern Conference behind a sparklingly offense led by All-Stars Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic; plus a robust defense piloted by oft-injured guards Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso.
Things fell apart when Ball suffered a season-ending knee injury that eventually required three surgeries. Chicago fell to the Milwaukee Bucks in five games, and has been a perennial play-in tournament team ever since — but it has never been good enough to advance beyond that, even amidst frequent recent roster churn.
Now, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report advocates for the Bulls to part ways with sixth-year forward Patrick Williams, who has basically stalled out since enjoying a semi-encouraging 2020-21 rookie season.
The 6-foot-7 wing was selected with the No. 4 overall pick out of Florida State in 2020, ahead of eventual two-time All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton (the No. 12 selection, somehow). Chicago compounded its mistake by inking Williams to an inscrutable five-season, $90 million contract extension last summer. The team seemed to admit defeat on that deal this year, when it flipped Ball for Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro, who’s a marginally better version of Williams.
“Just because Williams’ biggest supporters are in the Windy City, though, that does not mean it remains the best place for his development,” Buckley writes. “They’ve given him one chance after the next to find his footing, and it just hasn’t happened. At times, he has appeared way too passive, but when he’s tried to dial up his aggression, that hasn’t worked, either.
In fairness, the Bulls would probably love to have Williams’ contract off their books going forward. But that’s easier said than done, and would likely require Chicago attaching assets to ditch the 23-year-old.
“It doesn’t take much imagination to see him comfortably and capably handling a three-and-D role, but that would still make him a massive disappointment in Chicago,” Buckley notes. “Even if fans are much more pessimistic about P-Will than the front office, they’d still like to see a better return on the franchise’s significant investments in him.”
Williams, whose health issues have already cost him 39 or more games twice in his five pro seasons, holds career averages of a middling 9.6 points on .452/.392/.769 shooting splits, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks a night. He was penciled in as a starter for most of his healthy games during his first four NBA seasons, but finally, mercifully was reduced to a bench role during the latter half of 2024-25.
He has never averaged more than 10.2 points or less than 9.0 points, and has often come under fire for being a bit tuned out offensively.
Critically for a primarily off-ball player, Williams is egregious at cutting to get open. He doesn’t do it nearly enough, and he struggles to score even when it successfully carves out enough space.
Just unfathomable how bad Patrick Williams is at cutting. Dead last in the league in points per possession off cuts this season. Shooting 18.2% off cuts. He rarely cuts, and when he does, he can’t score. pic.twitter.com/BlvN9pDhdH
— Ricky O’Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) January 28, 2025
“He’s a useful (albeit overpaid) player, but the Bulls clearly hoped he’d become so much more,” Buckley observes. “With tempered expectations on a new team, he might solidify his niche as a solid support player, nothing more and nothing less.”
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