The Chicago Bulls looked like a fringe playoff team to start the 2024-25 season, with Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic at the helm and a mix of interesting role players and young guys around them that could emerge. While a late-season surge has Chicago locked into the play-in tournament, it's come as of a result of pivoting the focus to other faces on the roster.
With LaVine gone and Vucevic turning 35 years old this year, the team has pivoted to Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Matas Buzelis to bring a new spark to this team. As a result, it's led to fewer minutes for former top pick Patrick Williams, despite the team giving him a massive five-year, $90 million contract. Recently, Williams spoke with the Chicago Sun-Times about his play this season.
‘‘When we’re winning, I’m having fun, regardless of how I’m playing,’’ Williams told the Sun-Times. ‘‘I come from a culture, obviously, at [Florida State] where winning was the top priority. When you win, everybody gets taken care of. You hold the trophy up, everybody gets to hold it up.
Battling injuries, Williams has appeared in just 57 games for the Bulls this season. In his appearances, he's averaging 8.8 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting a poor 38.6% from the field.
‘‘That’s kind of what got me to this point, holding myself to that high bar, you can say," Williams said regarding his current mental state. "And it’s not necessarily making or missing shots but how I’m playing, the energy I’m playing with. When that doesn’t happen, then something has to change. . . . But the only thing that can change it is a change in me.’’
With Buzelis now getting the starting role over Williams and his overall role with the team being up in the air, there's no telling what the future holds for him, especially with his massive contract. However, Williams is still just 23 years old and could still have a turnaround in his career.
