The Portland Trail Blazers have successfully boosted the trade value of Robert Williams III leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline by showcasing that he's healthy and still an impactful player.
Now, the challenge is no longer going to be finding a team willing to trade for the injury-prone big man. Instead, it will be deciding whether to part ways with Williams.
Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report wrote on Jan. 8 that the Blazers "really don't want to move him unless someone blows them away with an offer."
We'll find out in roughly two weeks whether Portland gets blown away with an offer, but a few teams stand out as logical landing spots.
1. Houston Rockets
Williams and Rockets head coach Ime Udoka have previous ties with the Boston Celtics, but this pairing fits well beyond a relationship standpoint, too.
According to The People's Insider Jake Fischer on The Stein Line, Williams joins a list of a few other centers perceived to be available: Kelly Olynyk, Nikola Vučević, and Jonas Valančiūnas.
Of these four, Williams is the only defensive-minded center. That could stand out amongst the rest of the center trade candidates for Houston. Udoka is one of the best defensive coaches in the league, so it makes perfect sense to reunite him with Williams, a former All-Defensive center.
RW3 would be an ideal complementary piece to backup Alperen Şengün, who is more offensive-minded and limited as a rim protector. That happens to be Williams' strength, as he's averaging 1.6 blocks in just under 17 minutes this season.
Houston is second in the West at 29-14, but it still feels as though they are a piece or two away from having a solid chance of winning it all. Williams would be a step in the right direction.
It would also be relatively straightforward for Houston to find a trade that works financially if they include Steven Adams' $12.6 million expiring contract. Some Blazers fans may want a more exciting return like Cam Whitmore, but that seems like too high of an asking price. Adams and draft capital could be a more realistic option.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
Jake Fischer has previously covered the Lakers' interest in Williams on The People's Insider.
"If it's not [Jonas] Valanciunas, Portland's Robert Williams III stands as perhaps the most coveted center on this season's trade market. He's another player on the Lakers' wishlist of bigs and renowned for his defensive presence," wrote Fischer back on Dec. 19.
Although the Lakers have traded for Dorian Finney-Smith since then, Los Angeles still needs help in multiple areas, particularly on the defensive end, as they rank 23rd in defensive rating. Williams' versatility and elite rim protection make him the best defensive center available on the market.
Offensively, it's easy to see how he would be a good fit as a lob threat to complement LeBron James' passing ability. It would also allow Anthony Davis to play more minutes at the power forward spot, his more natural position.
Williams wouldn't be the needle mover to put LA back into contention status. However, they could incrementally improve the roster with defensive-minded pieces like Finney-Smith and Williams and potentially still add another go-to scoring option.
3. Golden State Warriors
It's apparent that the Golden State Warriors desperately need to improve their big-man rotation if they want to have a chance at a playoff run this season in the competitive Western Conference. Unsurprisingly, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports that the Warriors are looking into frontcourt upgrades.
"The Warriors have continued their due diligence on the trade market and inquired about potential frontcourt upgrades, including Nikola Vucevic, John Collins, Jonas Valanciunas, and Robert Williams," wrote Scotto.
Also of note, Scotto mentions that landing Williams will likely require multiple second-round picks.
The Warriors don't want to make an aggressive trade where they sacrifice future assets and go all-in. But they should also want to maximize the limited windows of 36-year-old Stephen Curry and 34-year-old Draymond Green. Trading a few second-rounders for someone like Williams is a moderate trade to help thread the needle.