Roughly two weeks before the NBA trade deadline, rumors and reports suggest the Portland Trail Blazers may be a team to watch. After six games played with the team, the Blazers may trade former Boston Celtics first-round selection Robert Williams, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.
The Blazers acquired Williams, along with reigning Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, in a trade with the Celtics for Jrue Holiday in October.
Williams underwent right knee surgery in November, ruling him out for the rest of the season. In six games with the Trail Blazers, the Louisiana native averaged 6.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Why Are the Trail Blazers Open to Trading Williams?
There is no denying that, when healthy, Williams is a very solid big man. During the 2021-22 season, his best year yet, Williams averaged 10 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game in 61 contests en route to his first All-Defensive Second Team selection. All these numbers, including the number of games played, remain a career-high for “Time Lord.” However, this is the biggest concern around Williams. Across six NBA seasons, Williams has only played 215 total regular season games. He has missed more games than he’s played since getting drafted in 2018.
Williams’ injury history is well-documented, and it could be the reason Portland trades the big man. However, it doesn’t appear that the Trail Blazers are actively shopping Williams, and they may just be open to the idea of a trade, as Haynes says:
The Blazers will be very open. That’s not up for debate. If they get the right deal in place, they will be open. … Robert Williams is somebody that is definitely available.
Furthermore, as it is, the Trail Blazers own a 12-31 record, the second-worst in the Western Conference. Portland is not a title contender and may be open to acquiring more assets.
Where Could Williams End Up?
So far, there have been very few rumors directly linking Williams to other NBA teams. Since he is officially out for the remainder of the 2023-24 season, any team acquiring him wouldn’t see him in action until next season. One team to keep an eye on is the Houston Rockets, coached by former Celtics coach Ime Udoka. Haynes suggests the Rockets could be “in the mix” for Williams:
“Ime Udoka has always, and still remains very fond of Robert Williams,” Haynes said. “So I wouldn’t be surprised if Houston is in the mix.”
The Rockets already have an impressive big-man duo in Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Şengün. However, there is not much depth behind them. Houston is a young team and isn’t necessarily in “win-now mode.” This, along with Udoka being familiar with Williams during his time in Boston, makes the fit clear.
The Trail Blazers may hold on to Williams after all. However, with a February 8 trade deadline, Portland doesn’t have much longer to make their decision.
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