December is here, which means NBA trade season is right around the corner. Of course, last season’s first trade occurred on November 1 between the Philadelphia 76ers and LA Clippers, granting James Harden’s request to be traded. However, the first two-sided trade occurred on December 30, when New York exchanged Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett for OG Anunoby and Precious Achuiwa.

The first wave of trade restrictions will lifted on December 15. Following that date, players who signed new contracts in the offseason will be available via trade. Furthermore, those who signed exhibit 10 contracts will be made available throughout the latter half of December.

While numerous recently signed restrictions will be lifted on the 15th, several teams will have to wait longer to include recently extended players in trade talks. For instance, Patrick Williams, who signed his contract with the Chicago Bulls on June 30, will be available for trade on January 15. Other extensions surpass mid-January, with the latest date being July 1 because of the “poison pill” provision, which disallows teams to trade players whose rookie contracts were extended for an entire season.

As for the Bulls, Williams’ is the last domino to fall regarding trade restrictions. Chicago can offload any player by mid-January, furthering the expectation that a fire sale is imminent. Rumors have already begun to swirl, mentioning Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, Dalen Terry, Julian Phillips, and Williams as potential candidates.

Here, we’ll focus on Chicago’s starting power forward as the centerpiece of a trade. Williams was recently mentioned in NBA Insider Jake Fischer’s NBA Insider Notebook as a trade possibility. He went on to link the 23-year-old to the Golden State Warriors as a replacement for the injured De’Anthony Melton. Below, we’ve examined a hypothetical trade including the two players and graded it for both sides.

In this trade, the Bull send Williams and a 2029 second-round pick in exchange for the injured Melton, Kevon Looney, a 2026 second-round pick via the Atlanta Hawks, and a 2028 Warriors’ first-round draft pick.

Melton ($12.8 million) and Looney ($8 million) combine to earn roughly $21 million this season, allowing the Warriors to absorb Williams’ average of $18 million contract. Chicago acquires two players with a year left on their respective contracts, while Williams is only two months into the five-year deal he signed in June.

Grading the trade for the Golden State Warriors

This trade is seemingly a win-win for Golden State. Although the Warriors are shelling out a future first-rounder, Williams is only 23 years old, notoriously younger than four first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Warriors would be giving up an injured yet valuable player, Melton, and a consistent player, albeit inconsistently played big man in Looney.

Aside from being a Melton replacement on the wing, Williams is a potential replacement for Jonathan Kuminga, who is set to be a restricted free agent after this season. The Warriors and Kuminga were unable to reach an agreement on an extension in the offseason. Thus, the 6-foot-7 wing may bolt in the 2025 offseason if Golden State decides not to match an expensive offer or if Kuminga feels it’s in his best interest to play elsewhere.

Despite the pros of the trade on paper, acquiring Williams isn’t exactly foolproof. He’s still young but has failed to show much improvement over four-plus seasons in the association. The former fourth-overall pick averaged 9.2 points as a rookie. After four years, the 6-foot-8 forward’s average is only up to 9.9. His career-high occurred in 2022-23, where he averaged 10.2 points per game.

Perhaps Williams’ role in Chicago has stunted his growth. That remains to be seen, but his lack of aggression or confidence has certainly played a part in his stagnation. For example, despite being a 40.9 percent marksman, he averages just 2.9 three-point attempts per game throughout his career.

The lack of growth is only one part of the equation—injuries are the other. Williams averaged 53.3 appearances per season over his first four years in the league. After a foot injury shortened his 2023-24 campaign, the Bulls’ wing is again on the mend due to inflammation in his surgically repaired foot.

Potential starting lineup: Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Patrick Williams, Draymond Green, Trayce Jackson-Davis

There’s an obvious concern about acquiring Williams. His injury history and stagnated growth are the most apparent. However, the price to add a former top-5 pick who remains a valuable player is objectively low. The only other downside is Williams’ long-term $90 million contract which isn’t overly egregious in today’s NBA.

Much can be said about Golden State acquiring Williams. Conversely, Chicago’s intentions are finite and clear in this hypothetical. Williams is solid yet unspectacular for the Bulls. After four seasons in the Windy City, it’s becoming abundantly clear he won’t reach his ceiling.

Trading Williams this season still allows for the other 29 teams to bank on the same potential that got him drafted fourth overall. If Chicago continues to hold onto the 23-year-old, there’s a strong possibility his value will dip if his play doesn’t improve. Alternatively, Chicago could hope for a Williams breakout once LaVine or Vucevic is off the roster.

Instead of the second scenario, Chicago banks on the first. Trading Williams for a future first-round pick before his value starts to cater. In doing so, the Bulls add Melton, who will miss the rest of the season, and Looney, a serviceable infusion to a weak frontcourt.

In all likelihood, Chicago would let both newly acquired players walk in the offseason, offloading over $20 million in salary cap space. While the salary dump is important, acquiring a future first-round pick is the Bulls’ ideal outcome. There aren’t likely to be many teams lining up to send a first-rounder for Williams, but as the fourth-oldest team in the NBA with a top-four record in the Western Conference, Golden State is in win-now mode.

Potential starting lineup: Coby White, Zach LaVine, Ayo Dosunmu, Josh Giddey, Nikola Vucevic

Trading Williams is a tough pill to swallow. He’s a former lottery pick who has played well but not up to his potential. Plus, he’s a 6-foot-8 forward capable of defending the opposing team’s best wings—an archetype Chicago lacks. All in all, trading an oft-injured player while eliminating $20 million for a first-round pick is a nice way to begin a rebuild.