Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams is expected to be out at least two weeks with a foot injury, the team announced Tuesday.
Williams officially has been diagnosed with an acute bone edema in his left foot which requires “active rest” for at least two weeks, per the Bulls.
Williams missed three games this season with foot discomfort and was in a walking boot during Sunday’s 104-96 win over the Trail Blazers in Portland.
“It’s something that’s kind of bothered him, but he’s been able to play through it,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said Sunday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “He’s been dealing with it, but it’s nothing that’s prevented him from playing.
“But I think it got to a point after the Lakers game (Thursday) that he was having a lot of discomfort there, so he ended up going to see a doctor out in L.A. They just recommended keeping his foot immobilized for right now.”
The Los Angeles doctor reportedly also recommended further imaging which was done Monday in Chicago and revealed the acute bone edema.
Coming off a 2022-23 season in which Williams appeared in all 82 games, plus both play-in games, the lingering injury has been a frustration for him.
“It’s definitely something you don’t take for granted,” Williams said of last season’s perfect attendance. “It’s a lot of luck that has to be involved in it to do that. A lot of routine work and maintenance work and luck, too. Good luck, bad luck, whatever the case may be. I’m here now. I’m trying to do everything I can to make sure I feel as close to 100% as possible.”
Williams, 22, is averaging 10.0 points per game, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 43 games (30 starts) for Chicago this season. The Bulls selected him with the fourth overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.
The Bulls, at 22-25 and sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, host the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.
–Field Level Media