All eyes are on this summer for the Chicago Bulls. After missing the playoffs this past season, they have a ton of tough decisions to make if they hope to get back into the postseason conversation. It all starts with Nikola Vucevic and free agency, but there are some other decisions they have to make as well.
It’s fallen under the radar, but Patrick Williams is contract extension eligible this offseason. While his counting stats didn’t take a huge jump this past season, Williams looked good in his third NBA season. And at 21 years old, he still has plenty of room to grow.
During a recent edition of the NBA Front Office Show podcast, Keith Smith of Spotrac unveiled what he believes an extension for Williams could look like. He said the Bulls shouldn’t feel uncomfortable handing him a De’Andre Hunter-like extension, depending on their other financial decisions. Hunter landed a four-year, $95 million extension with the Atlanta Hawks ahead of this past season.
“I don’t know that I’d feel super uncomfortable with giving him like De’Andre Hunter-ish extension,” Smith said. “I think he’s shown just as much as Hunter had shown at that point in his career. So, I really liked Patrick Williams.”
Hunter’s counting stats look more impressive than Williams’, but he’s also been given a larger role in Atlanta’s offense than Williams has been handed in Chicago.
With his solid defensive presence and ever-improving three-point shot, Williams should be a valuable asset in Chicago for years to come. A Hunter-like extension may seem rich, but Williams’ potential as a two-way player is through the roof.
