Like it or not, the story of the Chicago Bulls season has been full of what-ifs and hypothetical dream scenarios. Blasted by injuries, this team has been forced time and time to do without several key contributors available to play, and nearly half the team's salary cap is tied to injury-riddled players.
Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball are the most notable cases here, as Chicago's ideal starting backcourt has already been confirmed to be out for the remainder of this season. Fourth-year forward Patrick Williams is no exception here, however, as the Bulls have been without their starting power forward in 13 of their 56 games thus far.
Dealing with a left foot injury that left him sidelined at a critical juncture before the trade deadline, I wrote back in late January about how Williams' this could cost him millions. As a fan, I was of course hoping for the best for Williams. It seems I may have been closer to the truth than I would have liked.
Earlier today, the Bulls announced via their official X (formerly known as Twitter) account that Williams' injury is more significant than they first believed, and that he will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on the injured foot.
Injury Update: Patrick Williams, who has been sidelined since Jan 25 with initial bone edema in his left foot, recently underwent routine subsequent imaging revealing the progression of his foot stress reaction.
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 23, 2024
He will undergo surgery and be out for the remainder of the season.
The Bulls' comeback effort may come to a screeching now that they'll be forced to make do without Patrick Williams.
Averaging 10 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, Williams wasn't the biggest contributor to the box score, but his presence was certainly felt beyond the stat sheet this season. It's fair to say the Bulls will miss his presence on the court, both as a sharpshooter on offense and the team's primary defender who usually picks up the toughest assignments on the wing.
This loss is particularly painful considering the front office opted to make no moves of significance at the trade deadline. Without any assistance on the way and three of Chicago's ideal starters sidelined, it's fair to say that this season will go down as a lost cause.
Williams will feel the brunt of this loss, as he prepares to enter restricted free agency this summer and is now at risk of losing out on tens of millions. Not only will hurt Williams' wallet, but one has to think it might impact Karnisovas' end-of-year job evaluation. He knew the circumstances behind Williams' injury and instead insisted on powering through by not making any changes.
Plagued by incessant injuries and inept decision-making from the top down, the Bulls might just be their own worst enemies. Sure, the roster could use an overhaul. But as long as this franchise's management and training staff continue to perform so poorly, I don't see Chicago climbing out of the gutter any time soon.