LOS ANGELES – A blind resume comparison doesn’t do Patrick Williams any favors these days.
Especially as of late.
But with just 16 games remaining after the Bulls played the Lakers on Thursday, what the heck:
Player A: In his last four games with meaningful minutes, 12 points, seven rebounds per game, including a 17-point, 11-rebound performance against Golden State.
Player B: In his last four games, eight points, 1.3 rebounds per game, and the last time he put up anything close to a 17-11 showing was Game 4 of the 2021-22 playoff series against Milwaukee in which he scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
That’s why asking the question of is little-known Leonard Miller (Player A) a better option than Williams moving forward for not only the rest of this season but even beyond?
“Lenny is a monster,” teammate Matas Buzelis insisted after the comeback overtime win over the Warriors.
He was definitely something in that game, as 11 of his rebounds were on the offensive glass. Again, not a craft that Williams displays often and one of the ongoing criticisms of him in Year 6 since the Bulls drafted him No. 4 overall. Too many lethargic games, not enough urgency.
There’s an even bigger indictment when comparing the two players, however. Since coming over in the trade with Minnesota that sent Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips to the Timberwolves and brought back a package of Rob Dillingham, second-round picks, and Miller, all the 6-foot-10 forward has done entering the Los Angeles games was post a team-high plus-7.5 per game in plus/minus in 10 games played. Meanwhile, Williams is near the bottom of the team with a minus-4.8 per game.
An unfair sample size? Maybe, but the fact that the Bulls lost seven of the 10 games Miller played and yet he still has produced winning basketball whenever he’s on the floor speaks volumes.
“With Minnesota I wasn’t playing so I kind of got used to it, but with me being used to it I’m still ready, I’m still locked in,” Miller said of his mindset. “I’m always ready to go out there and compete at a high level. I think I demonstrated that and that’s what I’m going to continue to demonstrate. Me playing at a high level and having a good game, I’m kind of not surprised because I have that belief in myself, I’m confident, and I feel like the sky is the limit with me.”
Will the Bulls?
After Miller played solid minutes against the Suns last Thursday, he only got a minute of mop-up time against the Kings in the following game.
That’s also because Williams was back from an injury and played 17 minutes in that loss. It was a short return as the sore ankle acted back up, and that’s why Miller got the starting nod against the Warriors.
He made it count.
“He’s very active on the glass, he’s a good runner in transition, he’s a very active body as far as cutting and moving,” coach Billy Donovan said of Miller’s strengths. “I just like his activity and his motor. There’s certain things he’s inexperienced at that will come in time, but overall, his activity, he can just get a lot of things into the game.”
Williams was out against the Lakers, but what will Donovan do when he has both forwards healthy again? That’s the wait and see.
It didn’t sound like Miller was concerned about it.
“It’s all about staying ready, it’s all about staying locked in,” Miller said. “I pay attention to the game plan. My focus is coming in and making winning plays and that’s all I care about.”
One more blind comparison:
Player A: Has a $2.4 million team option for next season.
Player B: Guaranteed $18 million a year through the 2028-29 season.
No one said comparisons were fair.