The Chicago Bulls announced on Friday that forward Patrick Williams will undergo season-ending surgery on his left foot. Williams has been out of action since January 25 due to what was initially diagnosed as acute bone edema, but subsequent imaging revealed a worsening injury to a stress reaction.
At 22 years old, Williams was navigating through a pivotal contract season and will become a restricted free agent this summer if the Bulls extend him a one-year qualifying offer worth $12,973,527. This setback adds to what has already been a challenging season for Williams, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft out of Florida State. He had played in 43 games, starting 30, and was averaging 10.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 44.3% from the field and 39.9% from beyond the arc.
This isn’t the first time Williams’ season has been cut short due to injury, as he also dealt with a broken wrist that limited him to just 17 games in the 2021-22 season. Throughout his four-year NBA career, Williams has posted averages of 9.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
The loss of Williams compounds the injury woes for the Bulls, who were already missing guard Zach LaVine due to season-ending foot surgery in February, while Torrey Craig is set to be re-evaluated in two to four weeks after spraining his right knee during the All-Star break. Additionally, Lonzo Ball has been sidelined for two seasons with a knee injury.
With key players sidelined, the pressure has intensified on DeMar DeRozan and Coby White, who rank first and second in the league in total minutes played, respectively. Currently, the Bulls hold the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 26-30 following a recent loss to the league-leading Boston Celtics.
