Getty Patrick Williams #44 of the Chicago Bulls.
The Chicago Bulls remain confident they can retain Patrick Williams in restricted free agency.
The former No. 4 overall pick of the 2020 draft, Williams is expected to generate some interest if he hits the market. The Bulls would need a fallback plan if Williams left and Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could be an option.
“Caldwell-Pope is … believed to have a potential home in Chicago, should the Bulls ultimately lose out on Williams,” Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer wrote on June 21.
The 6-foot-5 Caldwell-Pope averaged 10.1 points while shooting 40.6% from deep last season.
He also added 2.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. A key part of the Nuggets’ championship run in 2023, the 31-year-old veteran also provides solid perimeter defense. He held his matchups 4.8% below their season average from three last season, per NBA.com.
🗣️🗣️ FIRST TEAM ALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE
That could make him a fine replacement for Alex Caruso, his former teammate during the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship run in 2020.
The Bulls traded Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder, creating a need for another defender.
Caldwell-Pope is not as versatile as Caruso is. Bulls head coach Billy Donovan deployed Caruso at power forward in some matchups during the latter’s tenure. Caldwell-Pope is also one year older than Caruso.
Insider: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Could Opt Out
However, Caldwell-Pope could be cheaper to obtain than Caruso. The latter is fresh off back-to-back All-Defensive selections and is eligible for an $80 million contract extension.
This scenario requires Williams’ exit from the Bulls and Calwell-Pope wanting out of Denver.
“KCP is one of the best 3-and-D players we have in this league,” Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes said in a live-streamed intel dump on June 21. “Right now, what I am told is if the KCP and the Nuggets are not able to reach a deal on an extension, sources have relayed to me that KCP will opt out of his contract and hit free agency.
“There will be a plethora of teams – not just contending teams – a plethora of teams that will be at his doorstop once free agency gets underway.”
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can’t be screened.
Caldwell-Pope is entering the final year of a two-year, $30.1 million contract.
He has a $15.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season. It is unclear if Caldwell-Pope will be able to command the same salary in free agency or if he will prioritize long-term security in the form of a multi-year deal.
Caldwell-Pope is one of the more durable players in the league too, logging the 10th-most minutes since he entered in 2013-14, per Stathead.
Bulls RFA Patrick Williams Expected to Draw Interest From Trio of Suitors
The Bulls have the final say on where Williams plays next season since he is a restricted free agent. But an interested team could force the Bulls to commit more money than they would like to the youngster.
“Although many executives from opposing teams believed [the Caruso trade to OKC] was a potential construct for a Patrick Williams sign-and-trade — the fourth-year forward is set to reach restricted free agency June 30, with OKC, Toronto and Charlotte already being mentioned by league personnel as possible landing spots for Williams outside of Chicago,” Fischer wrote.
Bulls forward Patrick Williams on his potential contract extension: “Obviously I want a big contract. I think that’s what I’ve worked for. I think that’s what I’m worth. But whenever it comes, it comes.”
Williams rejected the Bulls’ previous offer of four years, $64 million with a player option, per Johnson in February.
Spotrac’s Keith Smith projected Williams could command a $100 million deal in June 2023.
Williams averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 39.9% from beyond the arc. But injuries marred another season while he remained a project offensively. He has provided solid and versatile defense, though. Losing him and Caruso would be a significant blow.