Trail Blazers center Robert Williams won’t play again this season after undergoing knee surgery in November, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s off the table in trade talks. Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT suggested during the latest episode of the #thisleague UNCUT podcast that Williams is a trade candidate to watch.
“There are some teams that are pondering making a move for Robert Williams,” Haynes said (hat tip to Blazer’s Edge). “Now, I know Robert Williams is out for the season, had another surgery on his right knee. But teams feel like he would be somebody they could get on the cheap right now and allow him to continue recovering, continue rehabbing in hopes that next season he can blossom back into the Robert Williams that we’ve seen when he was playing at a high level with the Boston Celtics.”
Williams was one of the players acquired by Portland in October’s Jrue Holiday deal with the Celtics. While he has shown some promise in his first few years in the NBA, is still just 26 years old, and is on a multiyear contract, there was a sense that the Blazers could be willing to flip the big man to a new team, given that they already have their center of the future in Deandre Ayton. Haynes confirms that’s the case.
“The Blazers will be very open (to moving Williams),” Haynes said. “That’s not up for debate. They’ll be very open. If they feel like they can get the right deal in place, they’re open. The Blazers, they’re in a youth movement right now, so they have nothing but time on their side. Some players don’t fit the development arc of most of the youth they have on that team. Robert Williams is somebody who is definitely available, given the right price.”
While Haynes didn’t specify exactly which teams are potential suitors for Williams, he noted that Ime Udoka is “very fond” of the big man after coaching him in Boston and speculated that the Rockets could have interest.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Discussing the Knicks‘ approach to the trade deadline on the Katz and Shoot podcast, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports said Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon is the player he has heard most frequently linked to New York (Twitter video link). Fred Katz of The Athletic cited Pistons guard Alec Burks as another player the Knicks had their eye on and confirmed the team has looked into Dejounte Murray, but isn’t sure whether that interest in the Hawks guard is serious or just a matter of the Knicks doing their due diligence.
- Murray, Bruce Brown, Terry Rozier, and Tyus Jones are potential Lakers trade targets to keep an eye on, Shams Charania of The Athletic said during FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link). The team’s interest in all four guards has been previously reported.
- Charania also confirms a previous report about the Lakers and Hawks discussing Murray, adding that a pick swap was part of those negotiations. The talks stalled due to Atlanta’s desire to reroute D’Angelo Russell to a third team, but Charania expects the two teams to resume those discussions before the trade deadline.
- Only one Wizards player is truly off-limits in trade talks at this season’s deadline, according to Charania (Twitter video link): 2023 lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly. Washington would be open to inquiries on anyone else on the roster.
williams is just another overvalued player by the expert commenters of hoops rumors
This. Dude cannot stay on the floor. And even if he is, he’s never 100%. People were panicking so much about the Celtics trading him for Porzingis… who is better at everything. Even availability.
Williams is a defence in himself… And some people really have a hard on for those types of players still…
Porzingis is a far better 2 way player… But isn’t as good at some parts of defence… Better health makes him the better choice…
Except the part the Williams excels at, rim protection, particularly with the ability to guard bigger guys, Porzingis does just as well without the need to even jump all over the place. Williams has plenty of value when he’s available, but anything he can do, Porzingis can do equally or better, with more otherwise. He’s better in drop coverage, switches, and as a help defender.
Bad knees has cancelled many players at Center. He would be a tough player to trade for knowing he could be injured again and again.
Haha, I wasn’t panicking. What was even funnier was Celtics fans worrying about losing Grant Williams
I would try to trade Brogdon, Grant, Simons, Ayton and Thybulle first. Get draft picks and expiring contracts. What was the point in trading Lillard if you are not going to rebuild. Scoot, Sharpe and Walker are a good start with a couple nice bench guys.
Blazers have 5 rookies on this team and two more from last year in Sharpe and Walker that are part of the rebuild. So 7 players in their first 2 seasons and have 5 draft picks next year I believe (2 lottery and 3 2nd rounders) with a bunch in the future from Dam\Holiday trades. At trading all of those guys gets you a bunch of more draft picks and guarantees lottery for several more years. At some point very soon they won’t have roster spots for all the draft picks and would be nice to have a couple good players with some experience. Grant, Simons, and Thybulle are all entering their prime years and none of them are on bad contracts so I don’t think you need to trade them to keep their timeline with Sharpe, Scoot and next years lottery picks.
Also, Simons is not even 25 himself. He’s still very young. At his size and wingspan, I’d rather have him focus on his playmaking and become a PG, but with Scoot there (provided he hits his stride), I’m fine with him at the 2, given his excellent shooting.
To win two extra games really. Do you see their record? Why pay huge salary to lose? Ayton is playing horrible with that horrible contract, Grant is much older than scoot and Sharpe, Simons is not a winner, they don’t play Thybulle, what is the point in trading Lillard when you don’t do a rebuild. Should of taken that heat deal for Jaime J, Lowry and picks or traded scoot instead. Why commit when you are tanking? Two year contracts with veterans is good. What are you two missing? I’m glad you are not the GM. Do a rebuild so scoot has a chance.
Not like he’s an amazing pickup or anything, but teams in need of a glue guy and don’t want to pony up for Bruce Brown should look at Deni Avdija. He’s running career-bests in almost everything right now, and looks all-around solid. Not as good of a playmaker, nor does he have Brown’s history, but he’s bigger and better at rebounding. Worth a look if the price is right.
I don’t get the so much love for Brown thing. He put up numbers that are a bench player’s numbers not all star numbers. some team is going to over pay for him. i agree Avdija is a better player and the length makes him better defensively and rebounding the ball. If the wizards put him on the trade line he would be a much better piece to trade for.
Because he’s extremely versatile and plays on both ends. His box score numbers don’t tell the whole story; he can guard 1-3 and some 4s, and he’s also a very good help defender. On top of that, while he’s not always consistent on offense, there’s nothing he *can’t* do at least somewhat well. He can run plays, finish plays, attack in transition, play in the half-court, shoot, and create his own shot. He’s not amazing at anything, but he’s decent-to-good at basically everything you could ask for out of a guy his size. He’s a lot like Josh Hart, really. Versatile, plays hard, no big weaknesses.
Also, his value really shows in how badly the Nuggets bench has struggled this season. They really miss him.
Avdija isn’t better than Brown, but he has the potential to *become* better, and is already decent. Worth a look.
Already high level teams experience with established roles. Besides his valuable on court production, he played for the superstar Nets, (was a bright spot, as a de facto 6’4 Center for stretches), so he has picked some great experience in that locker room, also (being around Kyre, KD, Harden) team.
That, adds up to his great, jack-of-all-trades, swiss-knife sixth man performance, for the championship Nuggets. Indeed, a very valuable piece.
Poison pill makes it tough
Right, dang. I completely forgot that Avdija signed a preseason extension. Never mind, then. Though maybe in the offseason he’ll anttract offers.
Grant and Moses Brown for Lowry, Jovic, Love and a 1st. Thybulle and Robert Williams for Wiseman and Bojan. Ayton and Simons for Capela, Mills and Bogdon with a pick. Grants contract will be bad plus he is much older than scoot and Sharpe plus Ayton’s contract is really bad. I would trade all these guys for two year deals when the young core is ready to take over with veterans. You get a young PF and C with two extra picks and saves money You can package their picks to get a better one if need be. They need to do a full rebuild and not a little one. There was no point in trading Lillard then.
Thank god you’re not the Blazers GM. This is terrible. You want to trade Simons, Ayton and Thybulle who are all between 24-26 years old because they’re too old for your full rebuild???
So your proposal would be for them to go the Detroit Pistons route of having no vets at all and a bunch of players with little to no experience but are high draft picks.
Ask Detroit how that’s working out for them.
He’s not. He’s the Heat GM.
Pretty much all of this is wrong, from the top down. They are doing a full rebuild. They have seven young prospects on the roster, and took fliers on younger guys like Thybulle and Ayton who could improve with them (Ayton hasn’t, but that’s more to him being overrated in the first place than anything). Simons is still not even 25. Brogdon is on the table now, but you need at least one veteran capable of playing both ends and mentoring the other players. Otherwise you end up with the Pistons (Bojan can only score, not defend or run plays).
Also, Grant’s contract isn’t that bad. It’s a little pricy, but for a wing who scores 20+ ppg on very good efficiency and can defend, it’s pretty close to fair value. It’s not nearly as bad as it looks if you just see the number.
Also, the trade was invalid the second you posted it, because Kyle Lowry was already traded by then.
To win two extra games really. Do you see their record? Why pay huge salary to lose? Ayton is playing horrible with that horrible contract, Grant is much older than scoot and Sharpe, Simons is not a winner, they don’t play Thybulle, what is the point in trading Lillard when you don’t do a rebuild. Should of taken that heat deal for Jaime J, Lowry and picks or traded scoot instead. Why commit when you are tanking? Two year contracts with veterans is good. What are you two missing? I’m glad you are not the GM. Do a rebuild so scoot has a chance.
We can keep it the way you all said it and win two more games. Wow. Okay sure and ruin Scoot like Lillard. Just because a team goes young doesn’t mean it’s Detroit’s way smh. Yes you can still have veterans on the bench. I like Grant but in two years that contract will not look good. Simons in not a winner. Ayton’s contract is really horrible. But sure keep everyone to win a extra game, their record right now is so good and not improve like Lillard’s time there. You three failed this one. Good thing you all are not a GM at anything in life
Grant to Chicago for Ball and Patrick Williams* then
I would expect R Williams to have much more trade value in the offseason, when he is healthy?
At this point, only teams that dont want to reach the play ins should consider him.
In the Western conference Memphis Grizzlies are the only potential team to me, with Kennard or Adams as potential matching contracts, but dont see that happening.
The team that takes on Williams will probably come from the East. And the main reward is probably in the picks.
Does Detroit want to trade Wiseman for another big? He wouldnt get much playing time. And would they give up the cap space they just traded for? For sure they wouldnt want to attach assets.
Raptors already have their big in Poeltl so also not the ideal fit.
The three remaining teams that could use a new center next season (and give him much playing time) are Hornets, Wizards and Nets.
Don’t know if any of those teams would want to give up a first rounder to get an injured R. Williams though.
The Hornets could send out expiring Bridges, whose salary fits into the Payton or Lillard trade exception, creating a new 11.5 million trade exception for Portland.
With Washington, a deal for the expiring Delon Wright could have similar advantages, with both teams creating a trade exception. Maybe Washington wants to spend in a three-team-trade with Gafford? They shouldnt go for Williams if Gafford stays.
Brooklyn only has the expiring Claxton at center. They could take on Williams as part of a three-team trade for one of their players. Dont see them do a straight-up trade though.