Patrick Williams got his bag.
The Chicago Bulls have reportedly come to terms with one of their own, restricted free agent forward Patrick Williams. The two sides have agreed on a five-year, $90 million deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The fourth overall pick of the 2020 Draft out of Florida State University under Leonard Hamilton, Williams has had to overcome a rash of injuries while attempting to establish a dependable outside shot to go along with his versatile defensive prowess. The 22-year-old shot an impressive 39.9% from downtown in 2023, while pulling in averages of 10 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Williams, who grew up in North Carolina, was expected to be an impact player upon his arrival for the franchise, when Chicago selected him in the draft. He has not come close to living 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 plan to construct a younger and more athletic roster.
Williams received a $12.97M qualifying offer earlier in the week, making him a restricted free agent. That means the Bulls could have matched any offer he received from any other team around the league, but they chose to bypass the middle man by negotiating a new deal before free agency opens Sunday evening.
Embed from Getty ImagesA stress reaction in Williams’ left foot stifled his season right when he was getting into a groove 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 was not able to take the floor after January 25.
A report surfaced this week indicating that the Bulls were confident in their chances of working out a new contract with Williams. The Oklahoma City Thunder were thought to be among the teams that had interest in going after him.
Williams will receive a considerable raise after earning $9.8M 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 said thanks, but no thanks to a four-year, $64M offer and was believed to be looking for something in the ballpark of the Atlanta Hawks De’Andre Hunter’s contract, four years, $90M, according to Chicago Bulls beat writer K.C. Johnson. This new deal represents a meeting of the minds and a compromise for the two sides.
The agreement with Williams leaves the Bulls with three remaining standard free agents, with DeMar DeRozan the most sought after and prominent name on the list. There has been heavy chatter around NBA circle, that DeRozan could be on the move looking for a new home, either leaving as a free agent or being involved in a sign-and-trade deal. Andre Drummond and Javonte Green are also unrestricted free agents.
The reported re-signing is another key move for the Bulls, who recently traded who considered the heart and soul of the team over the last two years, veteran guard Alex Caruso to the Thunder in exchange for 21-year-old playmaker Josh Giddey.
