It will be a big week for the second-year player, first getting some work in on Monday with the player development staff, and then hopefully getting in two full days of practices, as Williams could be close to returning from a badly sprained left ankle.
CLEVELAND – It’s a long season, and Patrick Williams is still a young player.
So there’s not an urgency to push the ankle injury sooner than the Bulls power forward or the organization would be comfortable with.
At the same time, coach Billy Donovan knows that as each day goes by it’s lost reps and work for a player that is considered a key part of the core moving forward.
“Obviously the first thing is definitely his health, but I think every day that goes by there’s time – I don’t want to say wasted – but he’s going to have to get himself back,’’ Donovan said of Williams on Sunday. “He’s obviously missed several weeks, but I wouldn’t want to push him to a place where hey, three or four extra days wouldn’t have put him in this situation he’s in right now. So we’re going to always be cautious with all these guys.’’
Monday will tell the Bulls a lot, as Williams is scheduled to get some work on the court with the player development people, including cutting on the ankle and really testing the lateral movement. If he can come out of that with no setbacks and then go through the scheduled Wednesday, Thursday practices, not only are the Bulls holding out hope for a return by the start of the regular season in Detroit, but possibly seeing some minutes in the preseason finale against Memphis on Friday.
“That’s obviously being very optimistic and we have a lot of runway in front of us to make that decision, but I think the goal right now is kind of next step,’’ Donovan said of Williams. “He’s kind of gotten to this point.
“Obviously we’d love to see him be able to get a preseason game under his belt before the Detroit game, but at the same point I don’t think the medical stuff or any of us are in agreement that we’ve just got to thrust him out there.’’
Williams stayed behind in Chicago on Sunday, rehabbing and continuing to get shots up.
Applause worthy
Backup guard Alex Caruso played his first road game in a Bulls uniform in Cleveland, and there was one obvious difference for the former Laker when he entered the game. He took the floor with little fanfare.
That hasn’t been the case at the United Center, and wasn’t the case for Caruso when he played with the Lakers, before the coronavirus shutdown. Caruso couldn’t really explain it, but he’s always been a fan favorite with the home crowd.
“Yeah, that’s just kind of my career at this point,’’ Caruso said. “Everybody just kind of likes watching me play. Whether they’re cheering for me out of sarcasm or actual fandom or whatever it is, it comes with it.’’
As good as the two-game preseason homestand was for most of the Bulls roster, Caruso arguably drew the loudest applause.
“I was a little surprised it was as loud when I first came in,’’ he said. “I would like it to be a little more warranted with some success and winning. But hopefully we’ll get to that point.’’
Back issues
Williams wasn’t the only Bull not to make the only road trip of the preseason, as Tony Bradley was still sidelined with a lower back strain.
Acquired in the offseason, the back-up center is yet to see time in exhibition play, and while Donovan wasn’t overly-concerned with it, he was hoping that Bradley would be able to take steps in the right direction, insisting that Wednesday and Thursday practices “would be important.’’
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