Patrick Williams Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Ball, Williams, White, Buzelis

September 23rd, 2024 at 3:57pm CST by Rory Maher

Confirming a previous report, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic hears from Bulls sources who say that Zach LaVine has been a “willing participant” in team scrimmages ahead of training camp. LaVine was also present for a players-led minicamp last month in Miami, Mayberry reports.

LaVine has been a prominent name in trade rumors for over a year, with the Bulls actively looking to move the two-time All-Star this summer. However, Mayberry writes that rival clubs were only interested in taking on the 29-year-old’s contract — he’s owed $138MM over the next three seasons — if Chicago sweetened the pot by adding additional assets, which was a non-starter for the Bulls.

With young guards like Josh Giddey, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu on the roster, having a veteran known for his scoring prowess like LaVine could be an awkward fit. But according to Mayberry, LaVine has stressed to team leadership that he won’t interfere with his younger teammates’ development.

Here’s more on the Bulls, all courtesy of Mayberry:

Chicago is “cautiously optimistic” about the progress Lonzo Ball has made as he attempts to revive his career, Mayberry writes. The 26-year-old has been a full participant in offseason team workouts and will be a full go for training camp as well, Mayberry reports. Ball, who hasn’t played in an NBA game since January 2022 due to a left knee injury that has required three surgeries, is on an expiring $21.4MM contract. The Bulls will likely be very careful with Ball, but he has “looked good” to this point, per Mayberry.
Forward Patrick Williams may not be ready for training camp. The 23-year-old, who had season-ending foot surgery in February, told Mayberry and other reporters he was able to run and jump without pain or swelling in July (Twitter link), but he felt some discomfort during the players-only minicamp in August and has been resting over the past handful of weeks. Williams re-signed with the Bulls as a restricted free agent over the summer, inking a five-year, $90MM contract.
While White is expected to remain in the starting lineup alongside Giddey and LaVine, Mayberry suggests the former UNC Tar Heel may not be thrilled with an off-ball role after spending nearly all of last season as the team’s starting point guard. White had a breakout season in 2023/24, finishing runner-up for the Most Improved Player award. Trading Alex Caruso for Giddey indicates the Bulls view White as more of a scorer than a lead facilitator, Mayberry notes.
First-rounder Matas Buzelis has been playing well in scrimmages, according to Mayberry, who says the former G League Ignite forward has particularly impressed with ability to drive and pass. Mayberry also hears the Bulls plan to adjust their playing style on both ends of the court this season.

Central Notes: Horton-Tucker, Bulls, Bucks, Pistons

September 5th, 2024 at 1:08pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent guard Talen Horton-Tucker will reportedly be signing with his hometown Bulls. According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, the five-year veteran will sign an Exhibit 10 deal for training camp.

Shams Charania of The Athletic, who broke the news of both deals, said that Horton-Tucker and Mac McClung (Magic) received partially guaranteed contracts. From the players’ perspective, that’s not wrong in a sense — the Exhibit 10 language in their contracts makes them eligible for a bonus worth $77.5K (on top of their G League salaries) if they’re waived and spend at least 60 days with their clubs’ NBAGL affiliates.

It is misleading though, because for NBA teams, Exhibit 10 deals are one-year, minimum-salary contracts that are non-guaranteed. For example, if Horton-Tucker is immediately cut after the deal is official, the Bulls won’t carry any dead money toward the salary cap. That’s different than a player like Keon Johnson — if the Nets waive him today for whatever reason, they would owe him his full $250K partial guarantee while carrying an identical dead-money cap hit for 2024/25.

Here’s more from the Central:

In another story for NBC Sports Chicago, Johnson attempts to predict the Bulls‘ starting lineup and rotation. Despite the obvious defensive shortcomings, Johnson believes Josh Giddey, Coby White, Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic is the “most logical” outcome for the starting five. However, only Ayo Dosunmu and free agent addition Jalen Smith seem like locks for rotation minutes off the bench, per Johnson.
Eric Nehm of The Athletic answers mailbag questions related to the Bucks, including whether they should reduce Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s workload during the upcoming season to try to keep him fresh ahead of a potential playoff run. Nehm also examines whether Taurean Prince could be used at power forward in small-ball lineups featuring Antetokounmpo at center.
Will the Pistons carry a 15th player on their standard roster to open the season? What about their remaining cap room — will they use it before the season starts or carry it over until the trade deadline? Keith Langlois of Pistons.com explores those questions.

Central Notes: Bulls’ Odds, Tominaga, Verden

August 16th, 2024 at 10:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

According to VegasInsider.com, the opening odds for the Bulls’ projected win total sit at 30.5. In order to exceed that figure, the Bulls will need a few breakout seasons, The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry writes.

Coby White, Josh Giddey, Patrick Williams and Jalen Smith are some of the players in line for a statistical jump, given the state of current roster. The Bulls could get even younger as the season unfolds. They have been looking to deal Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic without success but that could change prior to next season’s trade deadline.

We have more from the Central Division:

Pacers training camp invitee Keisei Tominaga will play for G League United at the Fall Invitational next month, the league’s PR department tweets. Tominaga, a member of Japan’s national team at the Paris Olympics, reportedly agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with Indiana after going undrafted out of Nebraska.
The Pistons are hiring Matthew Verden as their director of grassroots scouting and intelligence, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link). Verden was previously the senior manager of player personnel and strategy for the development program Overtime Elite.
In case you missed it, the Bulls are signing Kenneth Lofton Jr. to a one-year contract. Get the details here.

Patrick Williams Signs Five-Year Deal With Bulls

July 6th, 2024 at 2:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 6: The Bulls have officially re-signed Williams, the team confirmed today in a press release.

JUNE 29: Free agent forward Patrick Williams will re-sign with the Bulls for $90MM over five years, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The fifth season will be a player option, tweets Jamal Collier of ESPN.

Williams, 22, was expected to be a cornerstone of the franchise when Chicago selected him with the fourth pick in the 2020 draft. He hasn’t lived up to that billing due to injuries and inconsistent play, but executive Arturas Karnisovas decided to make keeping him a priority as part of his effort to build a younger and more athletic roster.

Williams received a $12.97MM qualifying offer this week, making him a restricted free agent. That means the Bulls could have matched any offer he received, but they opted to bypass that possibility by negotiating a new deal before free agency begins Sunday evening.

A stress reaction in Williams’ left foot cut short his season and forced him to undergo surgery in February. He averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 43 games, but he wasn’t able to play after January 25.

A report this week indicated that the Bulls were optimistic about their chances of working out a new contract with Williams. The Thunder were believed to be among the teams that had interest in pursuing him.

Williams will get a healthy raise after earning $9.8MM this season in the final year of his rookie contract. When he and the Bulls discussed a possible rookie scale extension last fall, the forward turned down a four-year, $64MM offer and was believed to be seeking something closer to De’Andre Hunter‘s contract (four years, $90MM), per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. This new deal represents a compromise for the two sides.

Free Agent Rumors: KCP, Nuggets, DeRozan, Williams, Jones, Hartenstein

June 27th, 2024 at 8:21am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth made it clear that the team wants to retain potential free agent wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but is prepared for the possibility of losing him. Caldwell-Pope has until Saturday to decide whether or not he’ll pick up his 2024/25 player option.

“I think we have to look at everything, and the nature of free agency is, he’s unrestricted,” Booth said, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “So we can try to bring him back, and if he doesn’t want to come back or opts to go somewhere else, that’s his prerogative. So we’ll have to work with that. But I think we’re prepared to plug and play, so to speak.”

As Durando notes, Booth identified third-year swingman Christian Braun as the top candidate to replace Caldwell-Pope in the starting lineup if necessary, citing Braun’s net rating in various lineups as a positive indicator for his ability to take on a larger role.

“I think when you look at some of the teams that have been good in the past, they have to find a way to replace fourth, fifth starters, sixth men off the bench and still keep rolling,” Booth said. “… I think if (Braun) has to step into the starting lineup, I think we’ll be OK, if KCP doesn’t return.”

Booth added that the Nuggets have interest in re-signing veteran free agents DeAndre Jordan and Justin Holiday, per Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette (Twitter link).

Here are a few more free agency rumors and notes from around the NBA:

There has been “growing buzz” that DeMar DeRozan won’t be back with the Bulls next season, whether he simply walks as a free agent or departs via sign-and-trade, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Within his latest Substack article, Marc Stein relays that his podcast partner Chris Haynes said extension talks between the Bulls and DeRozan have “gone cold,” increasing the likelihood that the veteran forward reaches the open market.
On the other hand, “all signs” point to the Bulls re-signing free agent forward Patrick Williams, says Johnson. Chicago was the first team to officially tender a qualifying offer to a free agent this summer, issuing Williams a QO on Monday to ensure he’ll be a restricted free agent.
There have been “league-wide rumblings” that the Magic have interest in point guard Tyus Jones, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports writes within a breakdown of the draft’s first day. Jones will be an unrestricted free agent and is widely expected to command a salary above the mid-level; the Magic will have the cap room necessary to make him a competitive offer if they so choose.
Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein is another potential target to watch for Orlando. With Hartenstein nearing unrestricted free agency, Stein writes at his Substack that the Magic and Thunder continue to be named most frequently by rival executives as potential suitors for the big man.

Bulls Notes: Giddey, LaVine, DeRozan, Waters, Draft, Williams

June 25th, 2024 at 8:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

New Bulls guard Josh Giddey said that both he and Thunder executive Sam Presti agreed it was best for him to be traded rather than accepting a second-unit role, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes.

“Obviously, I came off a tough year. My role shifted a little bit,” Giddey said. “I was playing a lot more off ball and a role different from what I’ve done in my career. So there were no secrets it was going to take some flexibility from my part to kind of fit in with the team that we had and the structure that we had and the type of players that we had. And he spoke to me about looking at potential different roles, coming off the bench, running the second unit. And I just said to him at this point in my career, I’m 21 years old, it wasn’t something that I was overly eager to do. And he completely understood.”

Giddey was swapped out for Alex Caruso. League sources tell Johnson that the Knicks and Kings both made offers featuring draft capital for Caruso but Oklahoma City opted to take the hard-nosed Caruso in a one-for-one deal. The Bulls envision Giddey as their starting point guard, though he said his role has yet to be defined.

“My job is just to make the game easy for everybody else. Come in and make sure guys are getting easy looks, guys are comfortable on the floor,” he said. “When you’re a point guard and you can get other people around you going and making them involved in the game and getting them feeling good early, it opens the game up for everybody. That’s how I see myself, making basketball easy for my teammates around me.”

We have more on the Bulls:

While it’s well-documented the team is shopping Zach LaVine, who has three years left on his contract, his shooting ability and scoring efficiency could be a strong fit alongside Giddey, Johnson opines. However, the relationship between the team and LaVine, who is still recovering from foot surgery, would have to be repaired.
The team would prefer to resolve a possible trade of LaVine before trying to re-sign DeMar DeRozan, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (hat tip to RealGM). There reportedly has been little traction in talks between the Bulls and DeRozan, who will be an unrestricted free agent if those negotiations fizzle.
Eric Waters will be the team’s new director of health and performance, Johnson tweets. Waters served as a Bulls assistant trainer from 2000-04 and head athletic trainer for the Wizards (2004-16) and Jazz (2017-22).
The Bulls have held conversations to both move up and back in the draft, Johnson reports. Chicago currently holds the No. 11 pick.
In the same story, Johnson reports that several rival executives are under the impression the Bulls will either re-sign or match an offer sheet presented to restricted free agent Patrick Williams. The team has extended a qualifying offer to Williams, making him a restricted free agent.

Bulls Extend Qualifying Offer To Patrick Williams

June 24th, 2024 at 7:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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.

Central Rumors: LaVine, Bulls, Pistons, Cade, Bucks, Cavs, More

June 24th, 2024 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls continue to seek a deal involving Zach LaVine, but last week’s four-year, $78MM contract agreement between the Kings and Malik Monk may have removed a prime suitor from the picture, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says some rival executives believe retaining Monk will take Sacramento out of talks for LaVine. As Scotto has previously reported, Kings wing Kevin Huerter has fans within Chicago’s front office, so if the two teams did explore a trade involving LaVine, it seems safe to assume Huerter would be involved.

In other Bulls news, Chicago is interested in re-signing center Andre Drummond, league sources tell Scotto. The big man will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after spending the past two seasons backing up Nikola Vucevic.

Scotto also states that – prior to last week’s Alex Caruso/Josh Giddey swap – there was a belief around the league that the Bulls and Thunder would consider a possible sign-and-trade deal involving Patrick Williams. It’s unclear if that idea is off the table now or if the two clubs will look into making a second offseason trade.

Finally, Scotto reports that before they struck deals to add Wes Unseld Jr. and Dan Craig to Billy Donovan‘s coaching staff, the Bulls also reached out and talked to former head coaches Nate McMillan and Dwane Casey.

Here are a few more items of interest from around the Central:

The Pistons – along with the Magic – were expected to be in the mix for Monk before he reached an agreement to return to Sacramento, according to Scotto, who says Detroit will continue to explore the trade and free agent markets for shooting help this offseason.
Elsewhere on the Pistons front, Scotto writes that a number of executives around the NBA believe Detroit will come to terms on a maximum-salary rookie scale extension for former No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham.
The Bucks, still very much in win-now mode, are open to the idea of trading the No. 23 pick in the draft, league sources tell Scotto. Executives with rival teams also get the sense that Milwaukee would be willing to move Bobby Portis and/or Pat Connaughton in order to upgrade the roster, though Scotto notes that both players have come up in trade talks in the past and nothing has come of it to this point.
James Borrego was considered the frontrunner for the Cavaliers‘ head coaching job last week before the front office met with team owner Dan Gilbert, per Shams Charania, Joe Vardon, and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. After that meeting between management and Gilbert, Kenny Atkinson‘s candidacy “gained considerable momentum,” The Athletic’s trio adds. Assistant coaches Jordan Ott and Trevor Hendry, who worked with Atkinson in Brooklyn, are viewed as potential additions to his new staff in Cleveland, notes Scotto.

Fischer’s Latest: Bridges, Bulls, Kings, Magic, Smart, More

June 21st, 2024 at 4:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent forward Miles Bridges‘ could receive $30MM+ annually on his next contract, league sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. However, it remains to be seen if that money will come from the Hornets or another team.

According to Fischer, Charlotte is “believed to be open” to sign-and-trade concepts involving Bridges if the right opportunity arises. Sources tell Fischer the Nets discussed a Bridges trade concept with Charlotte in February that would have sent Ben Simmons to Charlotte. The Kings also inquired about Bridges ahead of the deadline, per Fischer.

As Fischer writes, the Hornets are viewed as a “salary-dumping ground” this summer as their new front office and head coach spearhead a rebuild. The same is true of the Pistons, who are looking for a new coach after dismissing Monty Williams.

Bridges’ market value has been difficult to gauge due to his off-court history, which includes multiple domestic violence allegations. One of those cases was dropped, but the other caused him to miss the entire 2022/23 season after he pleaded no contest (accepting punishment without formally admitting guilt).

Here’s more from Fischer:

Confirming previous reporting, Fischer hears the Bulls remain active in trade talks around the league. The Thunder, Raptors and Hornets are among the teams with interest in restricted free agent Patrick Williams, Fischer writes.
The Kings appear to be the most likely suitor right now for Zach LaVine, according to Fischer, who adds that Sacramento has continued shopping Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter in trade talks. Huerter, in particular, has drawn a “healthy amount external interest.” Still, the Bulls haven’t gained serious traction on a potential LaVine deal in several months despite being active in negotiations, sources tell Fischer. The Kings are also contemplating moving the No. 13 pick in next week’s draft, Fischer adds.
In previous trade windows, the Bulls pushed for unprotected picks when discussing Alex Caruso, sources tell Fischer. One scenario saw the Bulls push for four first-rounders, though presumably that total would have included protected picks. Chicago officially traded Caruso to Oklahoma City on Friday for Josh Giddey.
Fischer confirms LaVine is a “backup option” for the Sixers and their significant cap room. Fischer also suggests (via Twitter) the 76ers shouldn’t be ruled out as a landing spot for Paul George, despite a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic stating that their interest in George has waned as of late.
Fischer says the Magic are looking for a veteran wing who can space the floor, naming Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as perhaps their top target. If they lose Williams, the Bulls could have interest in Caldwell-Pope, with the Sixers another potential landing spot depending on how things work out with other targets. There are scenarios in which Orlando would exercise its $11MM team option on Joe Ingles as well, sources tell Fischer. Fischer previously touched on Klay Thompson‘s fit with the Magic.
The Grizzlies, who control the No. 9 pick, are known to be looking for big men, with UConn’s Donovan Clingan one draft target in a move-up scenario. However, Fischer hears from sources who say Memphis is also open to moving back in the draft. The Grizzlies are unwilling to move Marcus Smart, but Luke Kennard has drawn “strong interest” in trade talks, according to Fischer — the team holds a $14.7MM option on Kennard for 2024/25.

Bulls Have Discussed LaVine With Kings, Jazz, Magic, Sixers

June 20th, 2024 at 3:59pm CST by Rory Maher

The Bulls have been active in trade discussions heading into the 2024 NBA draft and free agency, reports K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to exploring moving up and down from the 11th pick, Chicago has also discussed players already on the roster as well.

Sources tell Johnson that head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has “floated as many as 15” trade proposals involving Zach LaVine. The Kings, Jazz, Magic and Sixers are among the teams Chicago has called about LaVine, according to Johnson.

As Johnson observes, the Bulls will almost certainly need to trim salary to avoid the luxury tax in 2024/25 if they intend to re-sign DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams. DeRozan, who is extension-eligible through June 30, will be an unrestricted free agent, while Williams is restricted.

Johnson reported earlier this month that Chicago’s asking price for LaVine has significantly dropped compared to last year, when they were seeking real assets in return for the 29-year-old. It seems the Bulls are now more focused on finding a way to shed LaVine’s pricey salary — he’s owed $138MM over the next three seasons, including a $49MM player option in 2026/27.

A two-time All-Star, LaVine was limited to just 25 games this past season due to a nagging foot injury, which eventually required season-ending surgery.

To this point, the Bulls have been focused on offering DeRozan short-term deals, Johnson writes. While there’s been “widespread speculation” that the Thunder, Pistons and Hornets may put out offer sheets for Williams, Johnson hears the Bulls are comfortable with their position since they have the right to match any contract the former No. 4 overall pick might receive.

Johnson also mentions Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso as names to watch on the trade market. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski just reported that Caruso is being sent to Oklahoma City for Josh Giddey.

As for the lottery pick, Johnson cites Providence’s Devin Carter, Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham, G League Ignite’s Ron Holland and Duke’s Kyle Filipowski as potential targets, though the Bulls have gotten a close look at a “wide range of prospects.”