The Chicago Bulls will be without Patrick Williams for the remainder of the season, as the fourth-year forward is expected to undergo season-ending surgery on his left foot to repair a stress reaction. The Bulls announced Friday afternoon that while Williams underwent routine imaging on what was initially announced as bone edema, the injury worsened into a stress reaction, which will result in surgery.
It’s a significant blow for Williams and the Bulls, who have dealt with injuries to key players throughout this season. Most recently, Zach LaVine also underwent season-ending surgery on his right foot in early February. That’s in addition to also being without Lonzo Ball for almost two seasons now with a knee injury.
While the Bulls have struggled to field a fully healthy team for two seasons now, this stings more for Williams who was in the midst of a contract year. He’s playing on the final year of his rookie contract, and will become a restricted free agent this summer. Being a restricted free agent allows the Bulls to match any offer sheet Williams gets from an opposing team in free agency, but given this injury, and the pedestrian stats he’s posted through four seasons, it’s unlikely that he’ll command a ton of attention. He’s struggled to be aggressive on offense, though his defensive value is a positive for Chicago.
Through 43 games this season, Williams averaged 10 points and 3.9 rebounds, while shooting 44.3% from the field and 39.9% from deep.
For Chicago, the impact this has on the current season isn’t too significant, given that the Bulls have been playing without Williams for some time now. Losing him is unfortunate for Chicago, especially on the defensive end, where he’s shown flashes of being a stout defender. As the Bulls continue to hunt for a playoff spot, not having Williams in the rotation going forward means Chicago will be a little light with its depth through the home stretch of the season.