The Bulls have issued a qualifying offer to forward Patrick Williams, making him a restricted free agent, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports tweets.
Williams’ qualifying offer is worth $12.97MM. Chicago will now have the option of matching an offer sheet for the No. 4 pick of the 2020 draft.
Williams has not lived up to his draft billing but he’s still only 22 and could still become an impact player. This past season, he averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per night in 43 games, including 30 starts. He has made 41% of his 3-point attempts over the course of his career.
Williams’ season was cut short by left foot surgery in February after being diagnosed with a foot stress reaction. He played his last game on Jan. 25. He was limited to just 17 contests in ’21/22 due to a wrist injury, though he appeared in all 82 games the following season.
A sign-and-trade scenario could develop, as several teams could be intrigued by Williams’ untapped potential. The Thunder are one team that has been linked to Williams.
If bulls don’t resign him I have no idea what they’re doing. Sure s&t is cool, but only if they get another young guy back that they’d take a similar chance on as Pat.
Bulls should be tanking. Only get their 2025 pick if it’s top 10, go for Flagg / Maluach. If bulls let Pat go but give Demar the bag I will lose my remaining sliver of confidence in this team’s decision making
Agreed. Part of his issues seem mental anyway (ie, tentativeness and a lack of aggression), and those could potentially be addressed over time. And even if he never becomes more than a 3-and-D guy, the cost to keep him shouldn’t break the bank. Kind of a no-brainer to me even if you don’t have a whole lot of faith in his potential. And if you even have a bit of faith in it, all the more reason to get something done.
His issues are 1- Donovan is an idiot and 2. They drafted him and are trying to make him something he’s not and 3. The best thing they can do is move him somewhere else while he still might have a little value anyway. Bulls record of advancing draft picks has absolutely sucked under Donovan.
True, but if you’re a Bulls fan I’d be hoping they keep him while getting rid of Donovan. Should’ve already happened by now, but I can’t imagine him surviving beyond this year. Well, I couldn’t under any other sane organization.
Hopefully someone signs him to an offer sheet and the Bulls let him go. They need to tear this team down to the nails of the broken boards underneath the United Center.
Should hope for a sign and trade so they can at least get something for him
Do you think OKC would give up one of their young dudes? Maybe Wiggins? Feels like they wouldn’t trade Wallace or Joe for Williams as much as I’d love that.
Then again, the fact that a team like OKC has interest in Williams points to the fact that bulls should probably just resign him.
Coby, ayo, Giddey, Pat, vuc (god forbid they manage to trade him. Not counting on it), plus zo and a Zach trade return off bench). Team would be purposely bad. But at least see what u have letting the young bucks run free. Although that lineup would be small, wish the bulls would play Pat at the 3 but feels like they’re against that
The Bulls will be going through a rebuild, but they will still need to pay some guys to stay above the salary floor. Why not a young player like him who may still have some upside? Tearing things down for the sake of tearing them down would be silly. Getting rid of all or most of the expensive/valuable vets should suffice.
The problem is he has no upside. Often injured and when he’s on the court he’s not producing enough to warrant a spot. Bulls wasted a Top-4 pick on someone who had potential. Just hasn’t worked out.
Man, it really seems like forever since I’ve trusted anything the Bulls management has done..
That may be different if Lonzo hadn’t gotten hurt, but the fact is he did, and here we are…
It almost feels like they’re drinking the Kool-Aid on Lonzo and the hope that he’ll be back playing full-time this year. They think if that happens then everything‘s gonna be back to the way it was that is a huge if. Huge if doesn’t really even describe the hugeness
Bulls still don’t have a plan…