The Chicago Bulls have made the playoffs just once since 2018, but have struggled to turn their lottery picks into meaningful contributors. Michael Jordan is not walking through the door. The Bulls will likely limp into the Play-In Tournament this season but have no chance against the NBA’s elite.
It has been one head-scratching decision after another by this Arturas Karnisovas-led front office. The Bulls finally traded Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan but refused to part with Nikola Vucevic before the deadline. Coby White becomes extension-eligible before the start of the 2025-26 season and fans should be worried, especially after the front office just overpaid another draft pick.
Patrick Williams was the fourth overall pick in 2020 and has done little to live up to that hype. He has never played more than 30 minutes per game for a full season, but that did not stop the Bulls from giving him a five-year $90 million extension. Year one is wrapping up, and the Bulls’ regret will only grow.
Bulls regret Patrick Williams extension mistake more by the second
Williams is having arguably the worst season of his career. He averages 9.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 25.9 minutes per game. The 6’7 forward is shooting 37.4 percent from the field and has a career-worst 46.5 effective field goal percentage. His defense leaves plenty to be desired and his inefficient offense hurts the Bulls.
Chicago scores 5.0 more points per 100 possessions with Williams on the bench this season. Overall, the Bulls have a negative-7.4 net rating when he plays, and it drops to negative-0.8 with him off the floor.
He is under contract for $18 million each season through 2029. The Bulls were banking on growth when they extended him, but Williams has gotten worse. No team would be eager to take on the 23-year-old’s long-term money. There is still room for growth, but The Paw must make significant strides to live up to his deal.
The Bulls watched Lauri Markkanen become an All-Star after he left Chicago and did not want to repeat that mistake with Williams. Their front office failed to realize Markkanen showed flashes in the Windy City. In two of the three years before his extension, Williams played a combined 60 games. He averaged 10 points each night and watched his field goal percentage dip for three consecutive seasons. The Bulls overpaid to keep their guy, and it has quickly backfired.
Williams returned from a quad injury on Monday night and is just starting to ramp back up. Chicago desperately needs the 6’7 wing to improve down the stretch. If not, his contract will only look worse this offseason as the Bulls try to upgrade. They are likely stuck with Williams until his play improves. That is a massive issue and one that could hold the franchise back for years to come.
The Chicago Bulls need to clean house this offseason. It is time for a new front office, but it seems unlikely. Sadly, the franchise and its fans may be stuck in mediocrity for the foreseeable future. The Bulls would be wise to move on from Patrick Williams as soon as possible. The odds are slim, but fans can always dream.
