Bulls receive hammer blow with latest injury news

Before his injury, Williams was having a strong season for the Bulls. He was arguably their most versatile defender outside of Alex Caruso. He was also providing reliable scoring as a third or fourth option. In 43 games, he was averaging 10 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 44.3% from the field and 39.9% from 3-point range.

However, Williams will now join Lonzo Ball on the long-term injury list. Despite his absence, Chicago has been enjoying somewhat of a resurgence. They've put their slow start to the season behind them. Currently, they sit ninth in the Eastern Conference. If they can sustain their current position in the East, they will qualify for the play-in tournament. 

Nevertheless, Williams' absence will be felt. His value to Billy Donovan's defensive system will be hard to replace. His development will also suffer due to missing out on a potential postseason series. Still, at 22 years old, Williams has plenty of time to continue his development. He's shown signs of growth throughout the season. 

Fortunately for the Bulls, they've been finding success without Williams in the rotation. His absence isn't going to derail what they're working towards. It does, however, make life a little more difficult. Injuries have been a huge factor in Chicago's roster construction not paying dividends. It's been the story of the Ball era. 

The hope will now be that Williams can recover from his surgery in the coming months and will be fully fit for the start of training camp later this year.