The Chicago Bulls had until the deadline to agree on a contract extension with fourth-year forward Patrick Williams, but nothing was accomplished.
Williams is one of 13 players in the 2020 draft class who were unable to agree to a new contract before the cutoff date. One of three top-five choices who will complete their rookie contracts before entering restricted free agency in the next summer is this player.
Before the deadline, he had already come to terms with this result.
“That’s more the business of basketball. I think that’s why I have an agent. I’ve never been good at the business of basketball, to be honest. It really hasn’t been much of an importance of mine up to this point,” Williams said via Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic on October 23. “My main focus for now is really just try to get this team over the next hump. Get myself over that hump.”
Williams has overcome this “hump” by playing with the same degree of aggressiveness he does when he is the greatest player on the court and other Bulls players are also there.
Pat going to work in midrange.@NBCSChicago | #SeeRed pic.twitter.com/ISTVtjyepR
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 16, 2023
Williams has overcome this “hump” by playing with the same degree of aggressiveness he does when he is the greatest player on the court and other Bulls players are also there.
It’s the same issue Williams lamented about last season.
“I wanted to be more consistent,” he said via Mayberry in April. “I wanted to play-make a little bit more; show that I can do that. Obviously, every player wants to be able to make plays down the stretch and be able to do that down the stretch. I think I have the skill to do it, I think the opportunity was there. I don’t think I grasped it. Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn’t.”
The chances have definitely been there with the No. 4 overall selection in the 2020 draft and the first choice of Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas’ tenure.
The ‘Big’ Contract Patrick Williams Desires
Williams experienced two starts last year that he didn’t keep. However, there were still speculations that he was demanding a potentially higher amount of money during discussions.
“I’m hearing Patrick Williams wants big big numbers,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on “The Lowe Post with Zach Lowe” on October 20 “Like starts with a two and isn’t ‘[$20 million] kind of stuff potentially.”
A reminder that Patrick Williams is 21 years old.
The best is yet to come 🐾 @patricklw4 pic.twitter.com/MYFrVn01DB
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) May 5, 2023
Williams didn’t give a specific number. But he did say he wants a “big” contract.
“This is how I feed my family. Obviously, I want a big contract,” Williams said. “I think that’s what I’ve worked for. I think that’s what I’m worth. But whenever it comes, it comes. I’m not 100% gonna say this summer or next summer, or whatever the case may be. I go out and hoop, and try to win games. Whatever comes of that comes of that.”
The Bulls still control the outcome since Williams will be a restricted free agent. That gives them the right of first refusal should he sign a contract offer sheet next summer.
Bulls GM: 2023-24 a ‘Big Year’ for Patrick Williams
Williams can point to the likes of Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White as two young players whose futures were less than certain before getting new contracts this summer. But he should also take heed of the words of general manager Marc Eversley.
Eversley expects to see Williams take that leap they’ve been hoping for.
“This is a really big year for Patrick Williams,” Eversley said during the NBA TV broadcast of the Bulls’ win over the Toronto Raptors on July 7. “I think for us to take that next level, Patrick’s gotta grow. I know he’s put in the work this summer – he’s going to continue to put in the work…He’s really gotta take another step.”
