Bulls forward Patrick Williams is out for Wednesday's road game against the Milwaukee Bucks and has returned to Chicago for imaging on his sore left foot.

The team said the tests and his absence are precautionary and an effort to protect Williams, 23, during the front-loaded early-season schedule.

Williams played in 43 games last season after undergoing foot surgery on his left foot, the same foot that is bothering him now.

Williams first appeared on the injury report Monday with bilateral foot soreness but said he planned to play through the discomfort. He played 31 minutes in a 122-112 win over the Detroit Pistons, scoring eight points and pulling down five rebounds in 31 minutes.

Williams played in 43 games last season and missed

The No. 4 draft pick in 2020, Williams is averaging 11.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in November and 9.9 points and 5.0 rebounds for the season.

Field Level Media and ESPN's Jamal Collier contributed to this story.