The Chicago Bulls have a new direction under lead executive Bryson Graham.
SLAP. Size, length, athleticism, and physicality. It's a catchy tagline, but it goes much deeper beyond an acronym to wield around in press conferences.
The Bulls hired Tiago Splitter, who has a deep developmental background in Europe and the NBA and spent last season as the interim head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, to help helm their freshly-minted rebuild. He'll be responsible for the ongoing development of pieces like Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis, and that's where most of the attention will fall in 2026-27.
But Chicago also needs to answer some questions about the players the organization may soon be leaving behind. Patrick Williams, for example, is the type of player that could take a major leap under Splitter. He's also the type of player that could fizzle out and be sidelined from the rotation entirely by the time we reach January.
Even though he has three years remaining on his current deal, that makes this season a make-or-break event for the seventh-year forward. Can he earn his spot on the team moving forward, or will the Bulls be forced to try to move off his contract?
Patrick Williams needs to finally prove himself in 2026-27— or the rebuild is moving on without him
Williams has always had physical upside as a rangy, two-way forward. But to this point in his career, not much of that has panned out. He's had two relatively healthy seasons since injuries limited him earlier in his career, but his production and his role remained limited on the earlier iterations of this team.
Across 72 games last season, Williams averaged just seven points, three rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 34.7% from beyond the arc. It was the most underwhelming offensive season of his career.
If there's any coach that can maximize what Williams can provide, though, it's Splitter.
Williams' developmental path isn't necessarily comparable to what Splitter accomplished last season in Portland with Deni Avidja, with lineups featuring Avdija as the primary ball-handler and playmaker for the Trail Blazers' halfcourt offense. But Splitter also knows how to maximize an athletic skill set like the one Williams possesses.
At this point, star territory is well out of reach for Williams. Perhaps even 'productive starter' is too lofty a goal considering Caleb Wilson's place as the team's power forward of the future. But if Splitter can find a way to polish Williams' offensive game, turning him into a potential outlet around the basket and a floor-spacer with the bench unit, perhaps there's still some upside to be unlocked there.
At the same time, Chicago also has Noa Essengue and Jalen Smith to accommodate in the frontcourt. If Williams can't hold his own in the Bulls' new offensive structure, there's little holding Splitter back from sidelining him entirely.
Chicago owes Williams $18 million in 2026-27 and 2027-28, with a player option on the final year of his deal. That's not an easy contract to move off of.
But this season will likely determine whether Williams is part of the rebuild moving forward. Splitter represents his chance to at least partially justify that extension.
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