2:57pm: Williams will undergo surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left wrist and is expected to miss approximately four-to-six months, the Bulls announced in a press release.
If Williams can get back within four or five months, that’d put him on track to play again before the regular season ends. However, a six-month recovery would run into late April.
1:10pm: Bulls forward Patrick Williams is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the 2021/22 regular season after dislocating his left wrist, a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links).
According to Wojnarowski, Williams sustained a perilunate dislocation and will soon undergo surgery. There’s hope that he’ll be able to return for the playoffs, but that’s not a sure thing, Woj adds.
The Bulls have yet to officially confirm Wojnarowski’s report, but head coach Billy Donovan admitted this afternoon that Williams’ injury is “pretty significant,” as K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets. The injury occurred during Thursday’s game against the Knicks, when Williams was fouled by Mitchell Robinson on a drive to the basket and came down on his wrist (video link). Robinson was assessed with a Flagrant 1 on the play.
It’s a brutal turn of events for Williams, the No. 4 pick in the 2020 draft who was expected to be a key part of a revamped Bulls roster this season. Many of the team’s top scoring options – Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic – aren’t great defenders, so Williams’ ability to slow down opposing scorers was considered especially valuable.
With Williams unavailable, Chicago’s defense and depth will be tested. As Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report tweets, Javonte Green, who has averaged just under 16 minutes off the bench in the first five games of the season, looks like the best bet to replace Williams in the starting five.
Ben Simmons is available and he loves
Chicago deep dish pizza
Chicago Bagel Dogs
Michael Jordan Steaks fresh from the Arm Barn
And most importanly Da Bulls!
And where would Ben play ?? Unless we wanna be a pf there no room at pg with Caruso and ball
Obviously he would play his natural position, PF.
What are the Bulls willing to give up for Simmons. Philadelphia probably wants LaVine. Is LaVine untouchable?
Lavine can actually score and make free throws. So yes, he’s untouchable in a Sikmons trade. Also find it hilarious that my previous comment about this injury was deleted to save face for this site.
Simmons*
It’s possible they could do something like
Bulls get
Ben Simmons
Tyrese Maxey
Sixers get
Zach LaVine
Patrick Williams
Coby White
Chicago’s 2027 1st round pick (top 4 protected)
Sixers would get a lot of talent, albeit with questions. Bulls would get the marquee player with the mental health issues along with a potential replacement at SG in Maxey.
Why would Chicago do this?
Alternative Javontae Green? Assuming Simmons is willing at the 4. Actually they should rebound better now, but also have less depth.
Because they gave up a lot to get into win now mode and losing Williams for the year kind of kills that. Or at least hurts it very badly. I think it makes more sense than waiting another year and watching Vucevic and DeRozan get another year older. Their main players are in their prime now and ready to win.
@Michael S
Because it’s my idea
im offended he even typed that trade out
Oh well. I guess you will have to learn to live with my imagined offensiveness. Have a nice day,
No one should be willing to give up a first round pick for Simmons.
You’re looney if you think Simmons has lost THAT much value. I don’t he is worth 5-6 firsts by any means, but to suggest he is not worth a single first is just stupid.
I meant he wasn’t worth a first round pick in addition to those three players, or any combination of good players. Only a team giving rid of a bad contract, like that of John Wall or Kevin Love, should be willing to part with a first round pick in exchange for Simmons. Philly won’t get both one or more good, young players and one or more first round picks for Simmons.
You’re looney if you think any NBA team in their right mind would give up THAT much for a head-case like Simmons. After the bum’s playoff performance last season, his trade value is at an all-time low. I’m guessing you’re a Sixers fan though.
Bulls laugh and hang up. I doubt they would do Lavine straight up for Simmons and they definitely wouldn’t do PWill + Coby + 1st for Maxey.
With Simmons current value it would be Simmons, Maxey and 2 1sts for Lavine and Derrick Jones.
Jesus Christ. They aren’t trading Lavine. He’s a better player at this point then Ben Simmons. The Bulls are clearly building around Lavine. Wake up and smell 2021/22
Did you all read the story about LaVine’s torn thumb ligament? Do you really think that is not going to have an effect on his value?
How about this one, Hiflew.
The Sixers trade Joel Embiid and their 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029 first round choices(Top 4 protected)
Bulls trade Alize Johnson
The Sixers won’t have to worry about paying Embiid’s salary and won’t have to work about scouting college players for 4 years while getting a marquee bench player.
Sounds ridiculous? So is your suggestion.
To even think my trade idea is as ridiculous as yours is just silly. You think my ideas are too ridiculous to read, then mute me. Meh forget it, I’ll save you the trouble by muting you.
Hiflew : i like the idea trade simmons but bulls wont give up lavine. Simmons for coby,patwill,blazers 1st round,bulls 1st round,tbj,djj.
Yes, I do think your trade is ridiculous and silly. To think Ben Simmons who chokes in the playoffs is worth a Supermax Marquee player, 2 young plyers drafted in top 8 of the previous draft with high ceilings and another future draft pick is ridiculous, silly and sad.
If the Bulls just want to make it to the 1st round of the playoffs and not advance, the Ben Simmons is the man they want. But they want to win a trophy. So does the Sixers, that is why Philly is so desperate to get rid of him. They will be lucky to get a second rounder for him.
No…not giving up all that for a cry baby headcase to be a locker room cancer…we are trying to build a team with chemistry, not destroy it.
Maybe Lonzo and that Portland pick if you really want Ben, since he is redundant with Lonzo
@animatedforce…I’d rather have Lonzo, he’s a great defender and he actually can and isn’t afraid to shoot.
Thanks for making me hungry!
No worries, Randy
Sucks from a development standpoint but was only averaging under 7 points 3 rebounds at power forward.
Agreed. Such a bummer. Would be great to see what Williams can become. IMO even if Williams didn’t get hurt, one reason that William’s stats are so underwhelming is that Williams is the fourth or fifth option in the Bull’s half court offense. LaVine, DeRozan, and Vucevic get their shot opportunities before Williams.
Right, that’s why he was averaging less than 5 FG attempts per game. But he was shooting 56.5% so it’s not like he was performing poorly on offense. And like the article said the team will be hurting a lot more on defense, and certainly depth, because of his absence.
Agree with you. Bulls don’t have many players to match up with talented big physical forwards such as Kawhi, Durant, Lebron, AD, Greek freak, Jelani Grant, Randle, Zion, Siakam, etc.
I like this greenwood porter mode. Patwill wont be great player if he stay at bulls bcoz he is bulls 5th option. He can shoot,defend (at 3 not 4),and still very young.need take more shoots.
#FreeBagley
AK, work your magic!
Would he suddenly become good and have a desire to play in a Bulls uniform? If that’s the case sure thing
This is a tough break for the Bulls. PW isn’t much in 2k, but he’s impactful on an NBA court. We’ll see if they can keep up their surprisingly (to some) good start on the defensive end without him. Lonzo did do a good job as defender at large after he left, but I think the idea was to have them both.
Not sure I recall ever hearing of a dislocated wrist before. Sounds really painful… Also sounds like something where he’ll need extensive rehab after surgery. Anybody know if this is the sort of thing that generally continues to haunt a player? Joint injuries rarely seem to ever get back to 100%. Hope I’m WAY wrong and wish Williams the very best.
Sadly from what another fan posted elsewhere, it can indeed be a career-altering injury and one that sticks with the afflicted in different ways for life.
Hopefully, PWill can handle it and still be productive when he returns.
That’s a big blow to PW’s development this season.
Daaammnnn…well, that’s extremely unfortunate, especially with them lacking depth at the 4. Losing Stanley Johnson hurts a little more, although he didnt provide the type of spacing Williams can.
Meyers Leonard?
He’s big and provides some depth. Not ideal..
Time for the Alize Johnson show!
I haven’t actually seen the foul but just curious if Mitchell Robinson is now public enemy #1 in Illlinois?
Thaddeus Young comes back to Bulls
Can’t happen this season as we just traded him this year…
Now AK will be forced to make a move. He already needed to add some size to this Bulls team, as they only had PW, Vuc, Bradley, Johnson, and a rookie in Simonovic as their only bigs..
There are several moves out there available to AK, but either way none would be as talented as PWilly..lol
If you want me to lose complete interest in your story just mention the 3 losers who need mental help before even entertaining a THOUGHT about being traded. Jack Eichel, Deshaun Watson and Ben Simmons. Because without them or their teams being even slightly realistic, They’re basically dead in the water.