Patrick Williams and the Bulls: A Promising Start, a Puzzling Present, and a Murky Future
Every NBA season brings its share of trade chatter, but not every name on the block carries the same weight. Some players are linked to deals because they’re hot commodities.
Others? Because teams are trying to quietly hit the reset button.
That’s where Patrick Williams and the Chicago Bulls find themselves right now-stuck in a holding pattern that’s raising eyebrows around the league.
The Bulls are reportedly working the phones, trying to find a new home for Williams ahead of the trade deadline. But here’s the catch: no one seems to be picking up.
Despite Chicago’s push to move the 22-year-old forward, interest around the league has been tepid at best. And the reasons are starting to pile up.
Let’s rewind for a second. Back in July 2024, the Bulls doubled down on Williams, signing him to a five-year, $90 million extension.
At the time, it looked like a bet on potential. Williams, the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, was still seen as a high-upside wing who could blossom into a two-way difference-maker.
Fast forward 18 months, and that deal is looking like a tough pill to swallow.
This season, Williams is averaging a career-low 18.6 minutes per game. Injuries have played a part, sure, but inconsistent play and a lack of assertiveness have done more damage. He’s slipped down the rotation, and what once felt like a foundational piece now feels more like a roster question mark.
That’s the dilemma for Chicago. They want flexibility.
They want to pivot toward a more streamlined roster with fewer long-term commitments. But Williams' contract, which runs through the 2028-29 season, is proving to be a significant hurdle.
Teams aren’t lining up to take on that kind of money for a player whose role has shrunk and whose production hasn’t kept pace with his paycheck.
Around the league, the perception of Williams has shifted. Once viewed as a high-ceiling project, he’s now seen as a negative-value asset-especially when paired with that long-term deal.
According to league insiders, even teams actively looking for wing help, like the Los Angeles Lakers, are unlikely to pursue him. Instead, the Lakers are reportedly eyeing potential reunion targets like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope-players who bring proven production without the baggage of a long-term gamble.
For the Bulls, it’s a waiting game now. They’re stuck between a contract they can’t move and a player who hasn’t taken the leap they hoped for.
It’s not just about Williams’ numbers-it’s about the gap between what he was projected to become and what he’s shown so far. That’s a tough sell in a league where every roster spot-and every dollar-counts.
There’s still time for Williams to flip the narrative. He’s young, he’s athletic, and there’s always a chance that a change of scenery or a new system could unlock something. But in the here and now, Chicago is facing a hard truth: the market isn’t buying what they’re selling.
As the trade deadline approaches, don’t expect a flurry of movement unless something shifts dramatically. For now, the Bulls are in limbo, and Patrick Williams is at the center of a situation that’s become a cautionary tale-about potential, patience, and the price of projection.