The Bulls player will shock the world with his breakthrough performance in the 2023-24 NBA season

How far will the Chicago Bulls go in a pivotal 2023-24 NBA season?

Chicago completed 40-42 in the 2022-23 NBA season. Behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks, it finished third in the Central Division. Damian Lillard was acquired from Portland in September by the Bucks. Cleveland added forward Max Strus in a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat and signed Georges Niang, Ty Jerome, Damian Jones, and Tristan Thompson to its bench.

In the offseason, the Bulls added forward Torrey Craig and guard Jevon Carter to build around Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic. Chicago drafted Tennessee forward Julian Phillips in 2023. After re-signing Coby White and Ayo Dosnumu to three-year contracts, the Bulls will have plenty of guard competition in training camps. Dosunmu, a former Illinois star drafted 38th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, started 51 of 80 games for the Bulls last season.

Williams, the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, started 65 of 82 games in 2022-23. The former All-Rookie Second Team pick averaged 10.2 points, four rebounds, and 1.2 assists in his third NBA season. In December, he hit 41.5% of his 3-point shots, including four of five from beyond the arc in a 29-point win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Williams may need to improve his consistency in the 2023-24 NBA season.

Williams said, “Learning how to be really good every night,” in a Wednesday Bulls.com report by Sam Smith. “All great players have taken that big step in their careers at different times and levels.

I don’t expect every game to be great, but I go out there to be aggressive, play downhill, and make plays I can on both ends. Being more consistent rebounding, pressing the ball, aggressive in transition, creating off-dribble, catch-and-shoot. More forceful me. I think I’ve shown everything. Time to assemble the puzzle.”

Basketball Reference reports that the 6-foot-7 power forward played 89% of his minutes in 2022-23. He spent 57% of his 2020-21 minutes at three and 41% at four.

“The guys at the four are more involved with the ball in their hands and making plays with it,” Williams told Smith. I’m a four, so it’s not necessarily. I prefer being a wing. It will allow guys like me, Coby White, and Ayo to get downhill, do what we do best, and effect the game offensively.”

Williams must improve during training camp and play a key role at four alongside Chicago’s other stars to help the Bulls climb the Eastern Conference standings. He could have a breakout season for Chicago in 2023-24 in the NBA.