Teetering the line of making a costly error, the then-new Bulls front office --- led by newly hired Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley --- decided against bringing Lauri Markkanen back to the Bulls.
Instead, in August 2021, the Bulls opted to capitalize on Markkanen's potential and trade him as part of a three-team deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
What happened with Markkanen during his time in Chicago?
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“I was always a big fan of him [Lauri Markkanen]," Billy Donovan said before Monday's win over the Utah Jazz. "He was here for several years, then he went to Cleveland, now he's at Utah. Sometimes players go through some of those experiences and they develop at their own pace. (In) his rookie year, he was really, really good. And what happens is, all of a sudden the league starts to figure him out a little bit more. The second year's always a little more difficult. I think you see that with Ayo [Dosunmu]. Everybody kinda goes through their own thing.
"He was very reliable. He was really smart. He was very, very versatile. I think it’s hard sometimes for these guys when they’re lottery picks. They’re built as being the franchise going forward. That’s a lot to put on a young guy’s back. Sometimes it takes them a period of failures to really evaluate how they can get better and how they can improve. He clearly has continued to get better and to improve, but I always loved the way he played and was a big fan of his game.”
A fair assessment from Donovan: the climate for the NBA's young stars holds insurmountable weight. As Donovan said, if you're a top pick in the draft, you're expected to take a team to the next level. Almost immediately.
But sometimes, that doesn't happen as fast as teams would like. Sometimes, players need several seasons under their belt before they finally find their footing in the NBA. That was a luxury the Bulls didn't think they could afford back in Markkanen's days. And boy, were they wrong.
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Markkanen skyrocketed into an All-Star player last year. He earned that honor on his way to averaging over 25 points and nearly nine rebounds per game on 49.9/39.1/87.5 shooting.
He's the face of the rebuilding Utah Jazz. He leads the team in points and rebounds. He's an offensive juggernaut with a knack for rim protection --- a skill he was chastised for missing during his days with the Bulls.
The Bulls missed out on Markkanen's boom. And it cost them.
But now, with the future of Patrick Williams at stake on account of his expiring rookie deal, the Bulls have a chance to learn from their past mistakes. They don't want to miss out on what they believe could be an explosive development from Williams.
Sort of like Markkanen, Williams is teetering with the line of becoming a long-term Bull, or an early trade piece.
The difference is --- Markkanen's first two years in Chicago were strong. By his second season, he was averaging close to 19 points per game for over 30 minutes a night. His shooting slash 42.5/34.4/87.2 wasn't phenomenal, but it wasn't terrible, either. With a nine-rebound average, he was nearly taking home a double-double every night.
Williams, on the other hand, has better physical attributes than Markkanen, compared to Markkanen at Williams' age. He's quicker, stronger and prone to more defensive success. The Bulls like how he plays for them regardless if he's in the starting lineup or coming off the bench.
But like Markkanen, Williams is struggling to provide concrete reasoning to make him a long-term investment. Williams doesn't contend with the same offensive production Markkanen provided the Bulls. He doesn't have the same offensive tenacity or the shooting consistency Markkanen possessed.
But, the Bulls can't afford to miss out on a potential boom like they did with Markkanen. Williams holds more priority, too, being the front office's first draft pick in its history; being a former No. 4 overall pick counts for some significance, too.
So, instead of waiting to see the leap the organization hoped to see from Markkanen, it seems like the Bulls are willing to bet Williams takes that leap. Even if he doesn't show it concretely by the end of his rookie deal, it doesn't appear that will matter to the Bulls.
"I do feel inside the organization, we all feel, including Artūras and Marc ourselves, I think our team, I do as a coach, that at 22 years old, he's got the potential and the ability to be a really good player," Donovan said. "And I would say if he was not here and evolved into (a really good player), I would not be surprised. I just wouldn't."
The Bulls have already expressed their desire to retain Williams long-term. And on Monday, Williams reciprocated that sentiment, expressing his desire to remain in Chicago, too.
“I love it. I love it here. I love the city, I love the team. I love what we’re about," Williams said Monday. "We’re about winning. There’s no gimmicks. There’s no moral victories over here. Obviously, I love it.”