How are the Chicago Bulls going to use pricey young combo forward Patrick Williams in 2025-26?
The 6-foot-7 Florida State product, still just 24, has never really improved on a semi-enticing rookie season after being selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2020 draft, ahead of future All-Stars Tyrese Haliburton and Tyrese Maxey.
Head coach Billy Donovan appears to miscast the slight Williams at power forward. Although he was a Day 1 starter in Chicago, Williams has been toggled between a starting a bench role during the rest of his career.
Williams continues to disappoint on the court
Last year, in 63 healthy games (36 starts), Williams averaged 9.0 points on .397/.353/.723 shooting splits, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks per bout. He’s a competent defender, but a frequently disengaged offensive player.
Chicago made a fairly minor move this summer to bring in what certainly could be perceived as a direct threat to Williams’ reign as the Bulls’ go-to underperforming, defense-first forward stemming from the 2020 draft lottery.
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Per Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic, Chicago team president Arturas Karnisovas appears to have, so far, committed to the bit of trying to make Williams happen. Although, he at last finally seems to be hedging his bets.
Williams is in the second season of a five-year, $90 million deal he agreed to last summer.
Bulls story this AM for those suffering thru the dog days. Five burning Qs ahead of the season: https://t.co/rky3PQF71c
— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) August 29, 2025
“Karnisovas is on record, dating to his days in Denver, as a man who likes to see things through once he starts them. His front office left the remnants of the 2021 team on his plate until it got cold,” Lorenzi writes. “Now, there are four seasons remaining on a Williams deal that appears even colder. Decisions, decisions.”
This summer, Chicago flipped reserve point guard Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers for 10th-man forward Isaac Okoro, the No. 5 pick out of Auburn.
“The Bulls sought Okoro, specifically with the idea of establishing their defensive identity. Chicago has had a penchant for collecting questionable shooters in recent years, but one can assume the Bulls snagged Okoro with the hope he’ll improve there, and that this new chapter will see him turn a page toward impact,” Lorenzi notes. “It’s not a one-on-one proposition, but Okoro’s emergence does seem to make things murky for Williams.”
Okoro is essentially a slightly better athletic, 3-and-D combo forward than Williams — and could be primed to take over his minutes.
“Not to say the two can’t play together — or that the Bulls won’t try it — but it’s not exactly aligned with the progressive, fast-paced, post-All-Star break offense,” Lorenzi adds. “It would be wise to leave no stone unturned with lineups, considering it’s unclear how many trade-worthy assets the Bulls actually have. But rehabbing the value of either Williams or Okoro feels significant.”
As Lorenzi observes, playing Williams big minutes might behoove Chicago in one respect — it will improve his trade upside.
“It probably makes more sense to nudge Williams into showing value in Year 2 of his deal as opposed to later,” Lorenzi notes.
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