The Chicago Bulls have seemingly found a diamond in the rough in forward Leonard Miller. Miller was a standout performer during the preseason, with his highlights including a 26-point eruption against the Denver Nuggets and an 18-point showing against the Milwaukee Bucks.
As the 2026-27 regular season draws near, Miller represents a unique opportunity for the Bulls to mitigate the Patrick Williams contract disaster by at least replacing him with quality in the rotation.
Chicago selected Williams at No. 4 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. Despite widespread concerns over how realistic the dream was of him becoming a high-level 3-and-D player, let alone the All-Star that top-five selections are expected to develop into, the Bulls signed him to a five-year, $90 million deal.
With three years remaining on his deal and minimal signs of progress as a player, Williams is now commonly regarded as having one of the worst contracts in the NBA.
Thankfully, the Bulls have two young forwards who represent a far brighter future in Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson. The hurdle with Williams, however, is figuring out where he fits into the hierarchy with an $18 million per season salary and .385/.350/.722 shooting splits over the past two seasons.
That's where Miller comes in as the forward who could help the Bulls justify replacing Williams in the rotation if he doesn't improve—both in 2026-27 and beyond.
Bulls need a pathway to winning either with or without Patrick Williams
Trading Williams would clearly be ideal, but the number of teams lining up to take on a struggling player owed $54 million in guaranteed or player-optioned money is either zero or close to it. That creates the unfavorable task of either removing a highly-paid player from the rotation or biting the bullet and trying to get some type of return on the investment.
If Miller's preseason rise and 2025-26 showings are a sign of things to come, then the Bulls will have no trouble justifying a potential decision to remove Williams from the rotation.
The sample size was small at just 27 games, but the 6'10" Miller averaged 11.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 offensive boards, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 three-point field goals made in 23.1 minutes per game with the Bulls. He did so while shooting at an efficient clip of .555/.356/.762.
Compounded by the fact that Miller ranked in the 80th percentile in defensive positional versatility and the 64th percentile in rim deterrence, per Basketball Index, he could be an ideal backup for Wilson in 2026-27.
Leonard Miller has been promising in a small sample size of games
There are clearly still areas in which he must improve, particularly in regard to defending out in space. What he offers in the present, however, is a compelling combination of tremendous offensive rebounding, respectable shooting, and the potential to score from virtually every angle of the court.
Most of all, Miller is a player who doesn't necessarily need the ball in his hands in order to make a positive impact on the games he plays.
For instance: In 2025-26, he ranked in the 77th percentile in offensive rebounds per 75 possessions and the 75th percentile in screen assists per 75 possessions. He also ranked in the 87th percentile in field goal percentage at the rim and the 53rd percentile in midrange shot making efficiency, which displays his equal promise as an on-ball player.
The small sample size and expiring contract that Miller's playing on complicate matters, but if he steps up in 2026-27, re-signing him and building a future at forward without Williams could be an attainable goal—with or without his contract on the books.
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