Patrick Williams needs to start anew

Williams is stuck in a rut with the Chicago Bulls.

© David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports

Eleven games is too small a sample size to pass judgment on a young NBA player like the Chicago Bulls’ forward Patrick Williams. He just may find his groove off the bench and turn things around. However, it’s prudent that you not hold your breath waiting for this to happen.

The 22-year-old, who the Bulls picked as the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, is now averaging just 6.1 points on 33 percent shooting, including 28 percent from beyond the arc, a season after making 41 percent of his shots from long range.

Although Williams has never been profiled as a strong rebounder, his work on the glass this season has been disappointing as he’s pulling down a mere 3.1 rebounds per game—certainly not what you’d expect from a power forward. It is for this reason that it’s in Williams’—and the Bulls’ for that matter—best interest to start anew.

Looks lost

Williams’ teammate DeMar DeRozan has said the former reminds him of NBA All-Star Kawhi Leonard. It’s not hard to see why. Williams has the athleticism and a quiet demeanor like the Los Angeles Clippers star. 

But all of those attributes can only take him so far. Williams has looked lost on the court this season, especially on defense, where he’s expected to do the work on an offensively-focused starting five.

“He's looked more lost on the defensive end than in previous seasons, often gambling for possession-ending plays at the expense of serving as a disciplined stopper. And after filling a starting role for the first five games of the season, he's been relegated to a second-string spot in favor of Torrey Craig, a veteran known commodity,” Adam Fromal of Bleacher Report wrote.

A fresh start

The Bulls pegged Williams to take the much-awaited leap in his fourth season and bridge the gap between the team’s present and its future. However, he’s been unable to seize the opportunity, leaving experts to speculate that a fresh start might be best for his career.

“His contract year is off to a wretched start, and the only thing that might save Williams is a fresh start,” Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic asserted.

“Williams isn’t likely to ever live up to his selection as the fourth pick by the Bulls in 2020. In Chicago, that decision always will hang over him. Here, he’ll be seen as and expected to produce like a top-five pick. But time is proving he’s much closer to a role player than a featured player.”

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