Perfect Patrick Williams Replacement Now Available for the Bulls

The Chicago Bulls already kicked off what promises to be a busy offseason by trading Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey. They have turned their attention to the 2024 NBA Draft, where they have the No. 11 overall pick. After that, free agency decisions on Patrick Williams and DeMar DeRozan are looming.

The Bulls have already extended the qualifying offer to Patrick Williams, making him a restricted free agent. That means the Bulls have a right to match any offer sheet the 22-year-old gets on the open market. If Williams doesn't like what he gets on the market, he will be on a one-year, $13 million deal for the 2024-25 season.

Considering that the Bulls are already an expensive, over-the-cap team, they might get priced out of Williams. If any team with cap space offers the Florida State product a lucrative, long-term deal that pays him around $13 million per year, Chicago may find it difficult to match it.

Fortunately for them, there may be a more affordable replacement on the market. Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin recently declined his player option to enter unrestricted free agency.

"Regarding free agency, Miami Heat swingman Caleb Martin is expected to decline his $7.13 million player option and enter unrestricted free agency for a bigger payday this summer, league sources told HoopsHype. "

- Michael Scotto, HoopsHype

How much the Bulls can offer him will depend on what they end up doing with Williams, DeRozan, as well as Zach LaVine. However, it's clear that they will need a two-way forward to replace Williams and Martin is the ideal candidate.

He is athletic, can defend multiple positions, hits open shots, and can attack the rim. At age 28, he has a few more years of high-level contribution left. The Bulls can use him in the starting lineup for a few years, then trade him for positive value.

Chicago's decision to trade for Giddey was uninspiring, but let's hope the rest of their offseason decisions make a bit more sense. Caleb Martin would be a good starting point for that.

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