NBA Rumors: Chicago Bulls Could Swap Patrick Williams For Jerami Grant

In a recent article, John Hollinger of The Athletic discussed several interesting topics, including the possibility for the Bulls to use Patrick Williams as the main trade chip to further solidify their core. Hollinger also mentioned Detroit Pistons small forward Jerami Grant as a potential target for the Bulls before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.

"Chicago also has another tantalizing possibility in its hip pocket: Patrick Williams," Hollinger wrote, as quoted by NBA Analysis Network. "The fourth pick in the 2020 draft is out for the season with a wrist injury, but he could be the icing on a trade sundae for the right player. Would the Bulls consider dealing him in a Harrison Barnes package, for instance? What about for Detroit’s Jerami Grant? A Grant-for-Williams (and, um, Jones and Brown) swap has to at least get Detroit’s attention, right? That might be one of my favorite fake trades right now."

Trading an injured Williams for Grant should be a no-brainer for the Bulls, especially if they are serious about reaching the NBA Finals and capturing the Larry O'Brien Trophy this season. Grant may not be an All-Star, but his potential arrival in Windy City would significantly improve the Bulls' performance on both ends of the floor. He would give them a very reliable scorer, rebounder, defender, and floor-spacer.

This season, the 27-year-old small forward is averaging 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.

Grant would certainly need time to familiarize himself with the Bulls' system. With the presence of Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic in Chicago, Grant may also need to make certain adjustments with his game to make himself fit in their offensive schemes. However, once he meshes well with their core player, the Bulls would undoubtedly have a better chance of beating Eastern Conference powerhouse teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Miami Heat in a best-of-seven series.

Meanwhile, trading Grant for Williams would also make a lot of sense for the Pistons, especially now that they finally decide to undergo a full-scale rebuild. Instead of being pressured to give Grant a massive contract extension next summer, the proposed trade deal with the Pistons would allow them to turn him into another young and promising talent in Williams, the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

At 20, Williams perfectly fits the timeline of the Pistons' young core of Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Killian Hayes, and Hamidou Diallo.