According to the Chicago Bulls’ X account, power forward Patrick Williams is expected to miss the remainder of the NBA season due to a left foot injury.
On the season, Williams has played 43 games, starting 30 of them. In those games, he averaged 10 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
This comes a few weeks after the team lost Zach LaVine for the rest of the season due to injury.
Williams is a restricted free agent this offseason. In October, the Bulls forward reportedly sought a “big contract” extension:
“I’ve never been good at the business of basketball. It really hasn’t been much of an importance of mine up until this point. But obviously this is how I feed my family. Obviously, I want a big contract. I think that’s what I work for and I think it’s what I’m worth. But whenever it comes, it comes,” Williams said. “I’m not 100 percent going to say this summer or next summer or whenever it may be. I go out and hoop and try to win games. My main focus now is helping this team get over the next hump and myself over that hump.”
With this update, it remains unclear if Williams will be with the Chicago Bulls for much longer.
NBA News: Major Patrick Williams Injury Update
How Will the Chicago Bulls Replace Patrick Williams?
Williams is not the only forward missing time for the Bulls. The team will also lose forward Torrey Craig for the next couple of weeks. With the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline having passed, the Bulls are limited in what they can do right now. However, reports suggest they are keeping an eye on the buyout market. According to K.C. Johnson of NBCS Chicago, the Bulls had interest in wing Danilo Gallinari:
The Bulls talked to Danilo Gallinari’s reps in the buyout market, per source. Gallinari plans to sign with Bucks. It’s second time Bulls angled for the shooter before he picked another team. They lost out to Celtics previously.
Gallinari has since signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. However, it is worth noting the Bulls front office may look to make a move or two in the near future. Right now, no reports have suggested the Bulls have shown interest in anybody else yet. However, there are plenty of forwards on or headed for the market that can fill a need for Chicago.
For now, the Bulls will likely move DeMar DeRozan back to the power forward spot and insert Ayo Dosunmu in the lineup.
The Last Word
Currently, the 26-30 Bulls own the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference. This would be good enough for a Play-In spot. It will be interesting to see how far the Bulls can go without Williams the rest of the way.
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