Patrick Williams grows in bench role

Bulls’ 2022-23 season review: Williams grows as sub originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The Chicago Bulls experienced an underwhelming and inconsistent 2022-23 season, one in which they finished 40-42 and failed to exit the play-in tournament to make the playoffs.

Though the season-long absence of Lonzo Ball delivered a major blow, the Bulls still possessed plenty of their core players to perform better. But a team that never posted a four-game win streak never fully achieved consistency. For every step forward, the Bulls took a step backwards.

Throughout this month, NBC Sports Chicago will review the seasons from each of the main rotational players, with a look ahead to next season as well.

Next up: Patrick Williams

2022-23 statistics

82 games, 28.3 minutes per game, 10.2 points per game, 4 rebounds per game, 1.2 assists per game, 46.4 FG%, 41.5 3PT%

Contract status

Williams is due to make $9.8 million in the fourth year of his rookie contract and is extension-eligible through training camp.

Season high point

Williams posted 18 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and one steal in a Jan. 23 home victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Almost remarkably, it marked the only double-digit rebounding effort of the season for Williams.

But the game also showcased his potential at both ends. He knocked down two 3-pointers and shot 6-for-11 from the floor, consistently making aggressive decisions. Defensively, he matched against the physical John Collins defensively, with occasional turns chasing a shooter in Bogdan Bogdanovic.

Season low point

Williams scored 2 points on 1-for-7 shooting, including 0-for-5 from 3-point range, and grabbed just rebound over 24 minutes in a March 29 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Summary

Williams continues to tantalize with potential, which is offset by maddening stretches of lesser impact. The latter periods became more infrequent in his third season, which also featured a late-season shift to the second unit.

So the question becomes: Can Williams still be a frontline starter or is he most impactful as a reserve boost?

The bright side: Williams averaged double figures for the first time and displayed more consistent aggression at the offensive end. He also kept his 3-point percentage above 40 percent while increasing his volume to 3.4 attempts per game. There’s no reason that average shouldn’t continue to climb.

The downside: Williams averaged a career-low 1.3 free-throw attempts despite more consistently attacking closeouts. He needs to get to the line more. And he still has far too many stretches where he doesn’t rebound.

During a season in which he averaged a career-low 4 rebounds per game, coach Billy Donovan said he wants him to become a double-digit rebounder.

Defensively, Williams guarded multiple positions and flashed some standout moments, averaging 0.9 blocks and 0.9 steals while averaging fewer than 30 minutes. He still has room to grow at that end.

Williams became more assertive and aggressive both on and off the court, with mentor DeMar DeRozan often light-heartedly revealing how the previously passive Williams would trade good-natured insults in the locker room. This may seem like a small detail. But for a player who too often took a backseat in his first two seasons, it’s not.

Williams’ move to the bench underscored a potential issue regarding his roster fit: If the Bulls return DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, can Williams’ growth and assertiveness continue on an upward trajectory as the fourth option? Or would the Bulls benefit by either continuing to bring him off the bench or, more drastically, trading DeRozan to clear more opportunity for the former fourth overall pick?