Bulls exercise fourth-year option for Patrick Williams

The Chicago Bulls have picked up Patrick Williams’ fourth-year rookie scale team option for the 2023-24 season. The Florida State product will earn $9,835,881 for the 2023-24 season.

On September 22, 2021, the Bulls exercised Williams’ $7,775,400 team option for the 2022-23 season. These team options are part of the four-year, $14.4 million rookie scale contract he signed in 2020. This is a fully guaranteed deal.

Per multiple NBA betting sites, the Bulls have top-15 odds of winning their seventh championship in the 2022-23 season. Check out which sportsbooks are anticipating another playoff appearance in 2023.

The Chicago Bulls have picked up Patrick Williams' fourth-year rookie scale team option, a league source tells @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 5, 2022

Of course, the Bulls selected Williams fourth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. As a 19-year-old, the forward became the youngest player in franchise history to begin the season as a starter.

During his rookie 2020-21 season, in 71 starts, the 6’7″ forward averaged 9.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. He also shot 48.3% from the field and 39.1% from 3-point range.

He was then selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Bulls pick up Patrick Williams’ fourth-year option for the 2023-24 season

Last season, Williams dislocated his wrist in the fifth game. It was then announced that his injury would require surgery. He went on to miss the next four months.

After his return, in the Bulls’ 127-106 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, Williams scored a then season-high 18 points in 32 minutes played. Plus, he shot 7-of-9 (77.8%) from the floor and 2-of-4 (50%) from beyond the arc.

On April 10, 2022, in the Bulls’ 124-120 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the wing scored a season-high and career-high 35 points in 41 minutes of action. He finished 10-of-21 (47.6%) shooting from the field and 3-of-4 (75%) from downtown.

Additionally, during the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, in the team’s 119-95 loss versus the Bucks in Game 4, Williams ended his outing with a double-double. He amassed 20 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes on the court.

In Game 5, the forward scored a playoff career-high 23 points in the Bulls’ 116-100 loss at Fiserv Forum.

Entering his third year, Patrick Williams hopes to remain healthy for the 2022-23 season. Fellow teammate Lonzo Ball is not expected to return to the court until January. His knee injury needs more time to recover.