(670 The Score) Bulls forward Patrick Williams’ tenure in Chicago has been marked by disappointment since he was selected at No. 4 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft.
The 23-year-old Williams struggled for much of his first four NBA seasons, which were partially plagued by injury, but still landed a new five-year, $90-million contract with the Bulls this past offseason. Since then, his play has taken a big downturn in a season in which he was supposed to prove more.
Williams is averaging 8.9 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting a career-worst 37.8% from the field in 50 games this season. He lost his starting job in late January and has produced little off the bench since.
In the mind of Sun-Times reporter Joe Cowley, it all adds up to this – it’s time for Williams’ time in Chicago to be “done.” In Cowley’s opinion, only a change of scenery can turn around Williams’ career, he told the Spiegel & Holmes Show on Thursday afternoon.
“He needs to hit rock bottom now,” Cowley said. “Unfortunately, they gave him a contract where I think he has lost his love for basketball. He would probably dispute that, but I just see a guy that happens to be built like that, happens to have a skill set and happens to have gotten paid and just doesn’t give a damn anymore.”
Cowley noted the Bulls have used a number of coaches to guide Williams in their endless efforts to help him improve.
“It was a bad draft pick made even worse because (lead executive) Arturas (Karnisovas) couldn’t admit he was wrong and opened up the checkbook and gave it to him, and now he’s giving it to the Bulls,” Cowley said.
“It’s the biggest mistake he made because he compounded it.”