The Bulls’ season is already drifting toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and that may be exactly why Patrick Williams has suddenly become a name worth watching again.
Chicago came into the year with some hope that Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey might settle quickly into Tiago Splitter’s transition-heavy offense. Ten games in, that optimism has faded fast.
The Bulls look like a bottom-two or three team in the East, and while that’s not ideal on the surface, it does fit the broader plan. They already picked in the top five in this year’s draft, and under the new lottery rules, teams can’t land in that range three years in a row.
With this year’s and next year’s draft classes both carrying real weight, being penalized in 2027 wouldn’t be the worst outcome.
That leaves Chicago with a clear priority: sort through the roster, find who can matter long term, and see whether anyone can bring back extra draft capital by the deadline. At this point, the only player truly off-limits to that kind of evaluation is Caleb Wilson. And with Wilson expected to miss at least a month because of a hand injury, the Bulls have a chance to spread out touches and development reps across the roster.
That’s where Williams comes in.
He’s not the kind of player who suddenly becomes a headline trade chip. Most around the league aren’t waiting for a breakout, and his contract makes things even tougher. Williams is owed another $54 million between now and the end of 2028-29, which is a steep price for a player whose interior scoring, defense, and rebounding haven’t made him a reliable rotation answer on a competitive team.
Still, Chicago’s job this season is to figure out what it has, and Williams remains part of that process whether he stays or goes.
Earlier in the season, a groin injury left him officially listed as inactive, and Splitter didn’t seem to have him in the rotation plans anyway. Williams sat out the Bulls’ first seven games. But when Norman Powell, Dailyn Swain, and Tobe Awaka each missed time with short-term injuries, the door opened for the seventh-year forward to log real minutes.
Over three games against the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and San Antonio Spurs, Williams averaged 24.3 minutes. He put up 6.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and three assists while shooting 47.1% from the field. That line doesn’t scream “trade market,” and it certainly doesn’t suggest a team would be eager to commit $18 million a year on a multi-year deal.
But there were some positives buried in the stretch. Williams finished with a plus/minus of 18 across those minutes, and against the Spurs he handled the physicality of the bench unit well enough to post seven rebounds and a block while holding his own defensively.
When the roster is fully healthy, those minutes won’t be there as often. Even so, unless the Bulls decide to move Jalen Smith back to power forward, they don’t have many bodies who can give them real size at the four.
Leonard Miller is the other obvious option, and he may be the better one after what he showed in the preseason. But Splitter appears willing to give Williams a chance to stake his claim over the next few games.
Chicago doesn’t need Williams to become a major trade asset. There’s even an argument for keeping him around as a salary piece while the rebuild continues. But if the Bulls can convince another team to take on his contract - even as part of a larger deal - it would help them add more young talent to the roster.
For now, that possibility feels a little more real than it did a week ago. For a team still trying to figure out what comes next, that counts as progress.
In Other News...
Bulls Need Matas Buzelis To Answer One Big Scoring Challenge
Caleb Wilsons absence leaves the Bulls with a real scoring hole to patch, and it comes at a time when they were already looking for more from Matas Buzelis. Wilsons hand surgery removes one of Chicagos more reliable offensive options for the next stretch, which pushes the spotlight toward Buzelis and Norman Powell to help keep the attack moving while the rotation adjusts.
Buzelis had a strong 2025-26 season, but the early part of this campaign has not matched that standard, and the Bulls need him to settle into a bigger role quickly. Chicago does not have much choice but to lean on his shot-making and confidence, because the alternative is asking the offense to survive on thinner margins until Wilson is back in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Final Roster Move Says A Lot About Their Frontcourt Concerns
Chicagos frontcourt picture got a little clearer, and a little more crowded, with the Bulls elevating Orlando Robinson to the full-time roster for the 2026-27 season. Robinson had been with the Windy City Bulls in the G League, and the promotion fills the clubs 15th and final roster spot while adding another big body to a group that has already been leaning heavily on its interior depth.
The move gives Chicago a fourth center and also opens the door for more flexibility with its two-way players under NBA roster rules. It comes at a time when the Bulls are still sorting through how best to manage their frontcourt rotation, and the timing only adds to the sense that this part of the roster remains very much a work in progress. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Should Finally Give Jaylin Sellers A Real Offensive Chance
Caleb Wilsons hand injury has opened a spot in the Bulls rotation at a time when the offense could use just about any lift it can get. Chicago has spent much of the season near the bottom of the league in offensive rating and three-point shooting percentage, which makes this a natural moment to look beyond the usual options and give Jaylin Sellers a longer runway.
Sellers has only seen limited minutes with the Bulls, but his G League work has suggested he can bring more than just depth. His shooting and playmaking are the traits that stand out most, and with Wilson sidelined, Chicago has a chance to see whether that translates when the games count and the offense is searching for answers. [Read more 🡒]