Williams headed for restricted free agency after no agreement with Bulls
A Bulls tradition continued Monday. The deadline for fourth-year players to sign contract extensions passed with no action at the Advocate Center.
That means Patrick Williams will be a restricted free agent next summer, joining Coby White and Lauri Markkanen before him. The last Bulls draft pick to agree to an extension before reaching restricted free-agency was Taj Gibson in 2012. The Bulls would be able to match any offer sheet Williams gets from another team next summer.
White re-signed this summer while a restricted free agent, same as Jimmy Butler in 2015. Markkanen asked to be traded to a new team and became an all-star last year in Utah.
"Obviously, I want a big contract, and I think that's what I worked for, and I think that's what I'm worth," Williams said after Monday's practice. "But whenever it comes, it comes. I go out and hoop and try to win games. Whatever comes with that, comes with that. My main focus now is really just trying to get this team over that next hump."
Williams doesn't think he'll feel any pressure this season with his contract situation unsettled. He'll have a chance to earn a bigger payday with a strong performance, which is what the Bulls hope will happen.
"The hardest thing in the world to do in any profession is to go from good to great," Williams said. "That's the goal of mine and obviously the goal of this team. I think we're as good team, but to take that next step, to go from good to great, it's all in the details."
Rookie extension scorecard:
Fourteen players from the 2020 draft class signed extensions before Monday's deadline. Top pick Anthony Edwards, former rookie of the year LaMelo Ball and No. 12 selection Tyrese Haliburton got max deals worth $206 million over five years.
Some better comparisons for Patrick Williams made it tough to judge where the Bulls forward will sit by next summer. Williams averaged 10.2 points and 4.0 rebounds last season.
Washington's Deni Avdija (9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds) agreed to four years and $55 million. Atlanta's Onyeka Okongwu (9.9, 7.2) got $62 million over four years.
On the other end of the spectrum, Minnesota gave forward Jaden McDaniels $136 million over five years, for a $27.2 million average. McDaniels, the No. 28 pick, has some nice defensive upside, but averaged 12.1 points and 3.9 rebounds.
Some 2020 first-rounders who did not sign extensions include No. 2 pick James Wiseman, No. 5 Isaac Okoro, No. 7 Killian Hayes and No. 8 Obi Toppin.
LaVine has mixed feelings:
Zach LaVine was back in practice Monday and said he was feeling fine after missing the preseason finale with an illness.
"I feel really good," he said. "I had a little cold, one day flu type thing. I didn't want to risk anybody getting sick before the season or breaking my body down either."
LaVine wasn't feeling as good about his trip to the Bears game on Sunday. He's a lifelong Raiders fan, even though he grew up in the Seattle area.
"I'm glad the Bears won another game, I'm just really mad it was against my Raiders," LaVine said. "I took Ayo (Dosunmu) and JC (Jevon Carter) up there and got to sit between two Chicago guys and they got to talk mess to me all game. It was great. Texted my boy Davante (Adams) after the game and we both feel mad. So that's how it is."
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