Chicago Bulls: Is it time to move on from Patrick Williams?

The 2022 NBA season has barely begun but have we already seen enough of Patrick Williams in a Chicago Bulls uniform? This is not going to be a popular statement for Bulls fans but before you make your judgment, hear me out first. What does he bring to the team?

The answer is not much. Three games into 2022, Williams averages 5.7 points, 2 rebounds, and 0 assists a game. At first glance, you would probably think that Williams hasn’t been playing many minutes this season. Through three games, he is averaging 23 minutes.

Williams has always been a solid defender for the Bulls but his woes on offense are starting to outweigh his defensive success.

With fantastic scoring options like DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine already in Chicago, Williams doesn’t need to get his own shot, he simply needs to be able to hit open shots and rebound the basketball for the Bulls.

However, Williams is shooting a horrifying 33% from the field and an even worse 25% from deep. His skill set simply doesn’t fit what the Bulls need from their role players.

Obviously, every team needs lengthy, athletic defenders on their roster to can pressure opposing teams into bad shots and turnovers. Williams can do this at times. But when you provide no value on the offensive end, you almost have to play fantastic defense to even stay in the rotation.

What could the Chicago Bulls get in return for Patrick Williams right now?

One positive you can take from this is that Patrick Williams is barely 21 years old. Yes, he still has time to develop parts of his game. Williams had a solid season for a 19-year-old rookie, averaging 9 points and 4 rebounds a game.

However, Williams then suffered a wrist injury that sidelined him for the majority of last season. When he returned, he didn’t take that second-year leap that many players do and statistically, wasn’t as good as his rookie season.

Now three games into the 2022 season, Williams looks even less comfortable and effective than he did previously. Granted, the Bulls have only played three games so far, but what we have seen so far is concerning.

If the Bulls were going to move on from Williams, right now would be the best time to. With Williams still being so young, there would probably be multiple teams interested in the young forward in hopes that he would still develop.

The return on Williams wouldn’t be mind-blowing but this Bulls team is built to win now and doesn’t have time to wait around for Williams to develop. With a lack of consistent three-point shooting outside of LaVine, a veteran who could stretch the floor would be a perfect target.

Ultimately, it’s going to be up to Marc Eversley and the rest of the Chicago Bulls front office but trading Williams now could be the difference for this win-now team.