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Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams has trained with DeMar DeRozan for the last two offseasons. But Willams apparently has another mentor this season in veteran forward Torrey Craig.
Craig, 32, signed a two-year, $5.3 million contract this past offseason. The idea was that he could provide toughness and three-point shooting.
He’s also looking to pass some of that to Williams.
“Part of my job is to get as much out of him as I can,” Craig said via Will Gottlieb of CHGO Bulls on October 14. “So, in practice, I’m gonna compete with him, I’m gonna talk trash to him, I’m gonna be physical with him. Bump him around a little bit, try to get more of the competitive edge out of him. … Try to get the best out of him every day.”
Heading into his fourth season, aggression remains the biggest bugaboo for Williams, who opened last season as the starting power forward but lost the job due to over-deference to DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic.
Williams averaged more points as a starter than as a reserve (10.3 to 9.7) last season. But he was more efficient off the bench with a 61.4% true shooting compared to 56.7% as a starter.
The former No. 4 overall pick in 2020, Williams has long been viewed as the piece that could help the Bulls take another step in the Eastern Conference. He has flashed an enticing skill set, showing tough defense and catch-and-shoot ability – he shot 41.5% on 3.4 attempts from beyond the arc per game last season.
Williams admitted that he did not have the season he wanted, though.
2023-24 a ‘Really Big Year’ for Patrick Williams
“I wanted to be more consistent,” he said, per Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic on April 26. “I wanted to play-make a little bit more; show that I can do that. … I think I have the skill to do it. I think the opportunity was there. I don’t think I grasped it.”
With restricted free agency looming after this season, this is a critical year for Willams according to Bulls general manager Marc Eversley.
“This is a really big year for Patrick Williams, Eversley said during the NBA TV broadcast of the Bulls’ win over the Toronto Raptors on July 7. “I think for us to take that next level, Patrick’s gotta grow. I know he’s put in the work this summer – he’s going to continue to put in the work…He’s really gotta take another step.”
Williams’ has expressed a desire to do just that. Perhaps Craig’s familiarity will help.
“He’s just a good guy man,” Craid said. ” Man, he’s a good kid. We’re kind of from the same area. And he’s like 40 minutes from where I’m from. We’re both from Carolina, so I always knew who he was growing up.”
Bulls Could Be Adjusting Expectations for Patrick Williams
Williams’ defense and three-point shooting – the two things Craig is most known for – aren’t areas of weakness. So Craig’s note on trying to impart some of the intangible traits into Williams is notable.
Expectations have always been high for Williams, hence why his working with DeRozan was such an intriguing prospect.
Perhaps the Bulls bringing in additional voices to try to get through to Williams is a sign that either DeRozan’s style isn’t necessarily enough, or that the Bulls have adjusted their long-term expectations of what Williams can become, or maybe even both. It’s not as though Williams can’t stand to pick a thing or two up from both Craig and DeRozan.
And, if he doesn’t, he could once again find himself out of a starting job.
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