With the Chicago Bulls remaining quiet for most of the offseason so far, there are still questions about their roster. Josh Giddey remains a restricted free agent. Adding fuel to the fire, rumors have linked the Aussie to the Golden State Warriors. Nikola Vucevic remains with the team, entering his final season of his three-year deal. The Bulls also have Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu entering the final year of their respective three-year deals. Yet, the most burning question has, and will forever, surround Patrick Williams.
First reported by Chicago Sun-Times' Joe Cowley, and later reiterated by Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Bulls could finally be looking to move on from Williams. Most of Williams' stats dropped across the board this past season. He averaged 9.0 points, a career-low 3.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists across 63 games. His playing time fell to 25 minutes per game, decreasing a few minutes compared to the last couple of seasons, as players like Matas Buzelis and Zach Collins became higher priority in the Bulls' rotation.
Trading Patrick Williams to Toronto makes sense for both parties
Entering the second year of his five-year, $90 million deal, Williams is still owed $72 million over the next four seasons. With the changes in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Williams' contract has become a harder pill to swallow for teams that are already above the luxury tax. Given his play and the possibility that he may have already reached his potential in the league, it's almost guaranteed that any team that would trade for Williams or any package involving Williams would require draft capital as a part of the trade.
Chicago currently holds all of its first-round draft picks through the 2032 season, as well as a future first-round pick from the Portland Trail Blazers. The selection is lottery-protected in 2026, 2027, and 2028, and it'll turn into a second-round pick in 2028 if it does not convey by then. The Portland pick could become valuable with the Trailblazers on the rise. For Chicago, using that pick in a potential Williams trade could help them move off of him at a low cost.
As it stands, the Bulls could have a potential trade partner in the Toronto Raptors, a team that would help solve the Bulls' Williams problem while solving issues of their own. Mocked by Sports Illustrated, the Bulls would trade Williams, Jevon Carter, and a first-round draft pick for RJ Barrett.
Entering his seventh season, Barrett has steadily improved over time. In his first full season with the Raptors following his trade from the New York Knicks, Barrett averaged 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game on splits of 46 percent from the field and 35 percent from three. Barrett has shown All-Star potential and would fit alongside the timeline of the Bulls' rebuild at only 25 years old. Entering the third year of his four-year, $107 million contract, Barrett will make $27.7 million next season and $29.6 million for the 2026-27 season.
With several questions lingering about the Bulls' immediate future, Barrett could fill in for multiple spots. If the Bulls were to let Giddey go or trade him as part of a potential sign-and-trade, Barrett would replace the 22-year-old floor general. Chicago could also use Barrett as a replacement for White—who's set to enter unrestricted free agency in 2026.
For Toronto, trading away Barrett makes sense. With the current Raptors 2025-26 payroll expected to be around $185 million, they are just $10 million under the projected first apron. While they would only shed a few million dollars for the 2025-26 season, adding Williams' $18 million and Carter's $6.8 million, the latter will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, clearing up more cap space. Having exorbitant contracts for Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and Brandon Ingram, easing the salary cap burden will allow for more flexibility in the future.
For Williams, the Raptors would provide a low-pressure environment to develop. While it would be a risk for the Raptors to trade for a player like Williams, draft capital would be a convincing piece to add in the deal. Both teams would be solving significant issues with their roster. With the Bulls rumored to try to move Williams this season and the Raptors not wanting to lose Barrett in the summer of 2027, the trade makes sense for both teams now and in the future.