As Bulls forward Patrick Williams heads into restricted free agency, look for the Thunder to make a run at him, The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry reports. A league source tells Mayberry that Oklahoma City has “great interest” in the 22-year-old.
Williams, who has failed to live up to his draft billing as the No. 4 pick in 2020, would give the Thunder more size at power forward. Oklahoma City’s stash of draft picks could entice Chicago to negotiate a sign-and-trade with the Thunder. Williams was limited to 43 games this season due to a foot injury.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- The Trail Blazers hosted six draft prospects on Tuesday — Daniss Jenkins (St. John’s), Dillon Jones (Weber State), Spencer Jones (Stanford), Jared McCain (Duke), Noah Penda (JA Vichy-Clermont) and Armel Traore (Ada Blois), Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report tweets. Out of that group, McCain is the most highly regarded by draft pundits. The point guard is currently rated No. 15 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list. Portland controls the seventh and 14th overall picks, along with No. 34 and No. 40.
- The Timberwolves were also busy evaluating draft prospects on Tuesday, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link). Sy Chatman (Buffalo), Enrique Freeman (Akron), Pelle Larsson (Arizona), KJ Simpson (Colorado), Justin Webster (UNLV) and Moses Wood (Washington) visited Minnesota’s practice facility. Larsson (No. 44), a shooting guard, is the highest-ranked prospect among that group on ESPN’s list.
- In his latest player report card, The Oklahoman’s Joe Mussatto evaluates the forgettable half-season that Gordon Hayward spent with the Thunder. Hayward is headed to unrestricted free agency and Mussatto opines that the forward might be looking at veteran’s minimum offers the remainder of his career.
Thunder are targeting all Williams?
They should overpay Hartenstein
Patrick will be asked to change his name to Jaylyn
Thunder have enough money to sign both Monk and Hartenstein
After signing both
My favorite topic is to acquire Towns
What do you want to have lunch, Wolves?
Rank a top5 of THESE Indiana basketball legends as far as who you’d rather have on your team if you could have them for their entire career..
Gordon Hayward, Eric Gordon, Brad Miller, Mike Conley Jr, Glenn Robinson Sr, Jeff Teague, Jaden Ivey & Bonzi Wells…
Glenn Robinson all day and night.
Hayward should consider himself fortunate to receive minimum vet contract offers beyond next season. Way to cover himself in glory and serve as a vital vet role for a young and upcoming Thunder team…
I hope the Bulls let Williams go as an RFA. Huge bust for a #4 pick. Please take that deal if OKC is willing to give up some draft assets in a S&T
He’d be a great fit for OKC. They sorely need size at the 3 and 4. At this point in his career you have to look at what he is and not the number he was drafted at.
He’s a good versatile defender that can guard 2-4 and some small ball 5s in spots and he’s a knockdown three point shooter. He’s also 22 and still young enough that he could still live up to his potential. Some guys just take a little longer. The Bulls don’t have to look any further than his teammate Coby White who was drafted one year prior.
Don’t agree that Williams is a ‘huge bust’. Williams keeps getting injured. When healthy Williams has been very good at times. Another problem for Williams is that he always has been the fourth or fifth option on offense. DeRozan, LaVine, Vucevic and White all have to get their shots. Not much left for Williams. If the Bulls don’t sign DeRozan, Williams can step into DeRozan’s role.
That’s the problem. He’s never healthy enough to play and when he does, he’s too inconsistent when on the court. Not to mention, he’s not a very effective shooter when he has the opportunity to shoot it. And now that he’s an RFA, he’s probably going to get $25-30 mil a season. Bulls shouldn’t waste that money on him when he can’t prove he’s worth it. Take the picks from OKC if they offer and call it a day. Bulls need to tear it all down anyways.
Your points are all good. Doubt some other team will pay Williams $25 – 30 million. Still would at least make Williams the qualifying offer and see where it goes. In regard to tearing it all down, it is ‘all or none’.