3) Most valuable Chicago Bulls trade chips
Almost always will a rookie/former lottery pick from that year’s class be one of a team’s most valuable trade chips at that point in time. For the Bulls, one of the their most valuable trade chips this season will be the former Florida State Seminoles freshman forward and the reigning ACC Sixth Man of the Year Patrick Williams.
This 19-year-old 6-foot-8 and 225 pound athletically gifted North Carolina native was a surprise pick for many by Karnisovas and the Bulls last month. Williams was the fourth overall pick for the Bulls in the 2020 NBA Draft Lottery. But there’s a lot of optimism about where his game could be headed after what he showed in Training Camp and the preseason.
In four games played during the Bulls preseason slate (two of which he started in), Williams started to show a lot of flashes. He averaged 11.3 points per game, four rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks. And Williams shot 48.6 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 54.5 percent from the free-throw line.
The two-way nature of Williams’ game and his gifted physical tools started to shine through. And if this pick winds up hitting big for the Bulls in the near future, Karnisovas is going to look like an absolute genius.
Although the chances that the Bulls trade Williams anytime soon are slim to none, it is still worth mentioning that he would be one of the front office’s most valuable trade chips. And he might be this team’s most untouchable player at the moment.