The Chicago Bulls have hesitated to trade away their young talent ever since the Nikola Vucevic mega-trade several years ago, which left them with limited blossoming talent and few draft picks. Patrick Williams has been a prime example of someone they could have traded multiple times, especially after his four-year rookie contract ended. However, Arturas Karnisovas chose to sign him to a five-year, $90 million extension to keep him in Chicago. Following a slow start to his fifth season, the Bulls have finally begun considering trading the former Florida State player—a move they avoided during his first four underwhelming years. While Jake Fischer primarily discussed Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic during his livestream, he briefly mentioned Williams and a trade possibility that could gain momentum in the coming week. So, where might he go, and what could Chicago receive in return?
Phoenix Trades Nurkic for Williams
Fischer pointed out that this trade idea is merely speculative. It comes from the fact that Bradley Beal limited trade destinations that could have helped finalize the Jimmy Butler trade, while the Suns are considering a move to acquire a two-way forward to add size at the position before next Thursday. If the Bulls trade Nikola Vucevic, which seems likely, they’ll need a replacement center for the remainder of the season. Jusuf Nurkic is likely to leave Phoenix and could even be waived if no trade is found. With Williams recently added to the trade block, a straightforward swap involving him and draft picks headed to the Bulls seems plausible.
Would this trade benefit the Bulls, or should they maintain confidence in Williams’s gradual development at just 23 years old?
A Move to the Bench Might Have Saved His Bulls Career
In a recent game, head coach Billy Donovan opted to bring Patrick Williams off the bench for the first time, aside from injury-related absences. This decision came after much anticipation and was welcomed by many Bulls fans, as Williams had never seemed at ease or shown much progress as a starter. A few years ago, his brother shared that Williams was a sixth man on his college team and felt more comfortable coming off the bench. He prefers to observe the game from the sidelines, analyze what his team needs, and prepare to contribute when his time on the floor comes. Based on his strong performances with the second unit over the past two games, this could be a strategy worth continuing.
Karnisovas’s typical approach may be to let a two-game sample outweigh the previous four and a half years of underperformance from his former top-five draft pick. This could lead to the decision to keep Williams, setting the price tag too high and continuing to overpay for a bench player.
Should the Bulls seize the opportunity if a Nurkic-for-Williams trade becomes available?
