Bulls’ Patrick Williams addresses future amid season-ending surgery

Highlights

• Injuries have hindered Patrick Williams’ progress with the Bulls, affecting his on-court impact and overall perception.
• Despite his desire to stay in Chicago, Williams faces uncertainty with restricted free agency looming.
• Williams has not met expectations, with only subtle development in his game and a negative scoreboard impact.

After an 11th-hour rise up the draft boards in 2020, which was followed by his surprising selection by the Chicago Bulls at No. 4 overall, Patrick Williams’ hardwood journey became a roller-coaster ride that has continued for the duration of his rookie contract with the club.

And while there have been some peaks throughout his four-year run in the Windy City, the Florida State product currently finds himself in yet another lull.

In the wake of his latest catastrophic injury, Williams has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign, which is the final year of his aforementioned contract. He’ll become a restricted free agent after the season, meaning the next time he laces up the high-tops and hits the NBA court, it could be as a member of another team.

However, in speaking with members of the media Saturday, Williams let it be known that Chicago is where he intends to be, while fully acknowledging the business aspect of the league. Via the Chicago Tribune‘s Julia Poe:

“I don’t think anybody knows what their future is, to be honest. I would love to continue to be a Bull. I think I love it here. I love the opportunity that we have to build culture, build something special with this group and this team. And I think I’m a really good cornerstone piece for this team, but you never know kind of what the future holds.”

Injuries have prevented Williams from taking off

He was also limited to 17 games played during his sophomore campaign (2021-22)

Williams has been out of commission since making an appearance against the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 25 due to initial bone edema in his left foot. There was hope that rest would be enough to get him back on the court this season. Instead, the team announced Friday that he had suffered a stress reaction and that he’d be undergoing season-ending surgery to remedy the issue.

It was a development that brought back memories of 2021-22 when, as a second-year pro, he was limited to just 17 appearances due to a wrist dislocation. Prior to both injuries, fans and pundits alike were expecting him to make big jumps forward as an athletic 3-and-D maven.

Instead, any growth in his game has been exceedingly subtle from a production standpoint, and his scoreboard impact has largely been negative in nature.

During his rookie season, he averaged 9.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while posting an effective field goal percentage of 53.4. Flash forward to now, and he’s at 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and an effective field goal percentage of 52.5.

While those numbers make him a bona fide rotation player on a good team, they’re a far cry from what many had in mind when he jumped into the top five of the draft.

Moreover, the timidness and lack of urgency that he has exhibited on both sides of the ball continue to be bugbears given his experience and physical tools at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds with a seven-foot wingspan and a max vertical approaching 40 inches.

So, while the Bulls will have the first right of refusal as he enters the open market this summer, there’s a chance they’ll say thanks but no thanks to committing further resources to his development.