The Chicago Bulls' decision to make Patrick Williams the fourth overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft was a boom-or-bust proposition. More than five years later, it's clear that the Florida State product fits the latter category, which is what makes the team's most recent choice a foregone, if painful, conclusion.
Bulls Head Coach Billy Donovan has finally sliced Williams' minutes and all but removed him from the rotation.
This (hopefully) puts an end to one of the most controversial sagas of the Arturas Karnisovas era.
Patrick Williams is being phased out of the Bulls rotation
This decision was a long time coming. Or so you'd think.
Williams averaged double digits in scoring in only two of his first five seasons -- 10.2 points per game in 2022-23 and 10.0 ppg in 2023-24. Across his first four NBA campaigns, he owned averages of 9.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 213 games (175 starts).
Despite those shockingly low levels of production, he entered last year as Donovan's first-choice power forward. In 35 starts, he averaged 9.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 26.6 minutes per game.
He missed the ensuing nine contests, however, gave way to Matas Buzelis, and has experienced a steadily decreasing role since.
After a 6-1 start to this season, the Bulls struggled with injuries and went 4-14 from Nov. 7 to Dec. 14. With an intact lineup (sans rookie forward Noa Essengue), the team has won four straight -- two over the Cleveland Cavaliers and then back-to-back road victories over the Atlanta Hawks.
Williams has been just about absent in Chicago's last four games
In the streak-starting win at home against the Cavs, Williams barely cracked the 10-minute mark and scored two points on 1-of-3 shooting. He played a combined 20 minutes in the next three games, going 2-for-10 from the field and scoring four points.
Karnisovas selected Williams at No. 4 because of what he could become; he has every physical tool an NBA team could hope for in a 3-and-D wing. He just has no aggression, no killer instinct. Of his 173 shot attempts this season, 126 have been jumpers and 91 of them threes. He has 37 total attempts at the rim.
Donovan has started to roll more with two-big lineups that feature Zach Collins and Jalen Smith together. But Nikola Vucevic and Matas Buzelis also share minutes in the front court. Isaac Okoro is what Williams should be -- a sturdy and versatile defender. That doesn't leave many minutes for Williams, nor should it.
It's difficult to admit defeat on a top-five pick, but it's time for Karnisovas and the Bulls to bury a lost cause like Williams on the end of the bench.