Patrick Williams got the bag.
The forward signed a five-year, $90 million contract to return to the Bulls. According to The Athletic.
The contract includes a fifth-year player option. According to ESPN:.
The Bulls selected Williams with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft after one season at Florida State.
The 22-year-old Williams could have begun negotiating with the team of his choice starting at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, but reports suggest he and the Bulls reached an agreement before then.
Teams were allowed to negotiate with their own free agents starting June 18th.
Williams is a strong defender who averaged 10 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.8 blocks per game last year in his fourth season with Chicago.
He’s had a mixed record through four seasons, two of which were shortened by injury.
He played just 17 games in 2021-22 due to a broken wrist, then appeared in 43 games last year after undergoing foot surgery in February.
“We’ll have to look at his schedule, but he was expected to be ready in time for training camp,” Bulls vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said about Williams’ health during the 2024 NBA Draft.
One of the first things Karnisovas did when he took over as head coach of the Bulls was draft Williams four years ago.
In four seasons with the Bulls, Williams averaged 9.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.
Karnisovas is clearly looking to rejuvenate the Bulls’ lineup this offseason.
In addition to bringing back Williams, the Warriors also traded 30-year-old veteran Alex Caruso to the Thunder for 21-year-old Josh Giddey and drafted 19-year-old Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick on Wednesday.
And the futures of veteran stars Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan with the Bulls are unclear.
“All options are on the table,” Karnisovas said of a possible DeRozan trade, “and it’s still an option.”
