The Portland Trail Blazers were one of the only few teams to not make a move during this season's chaotic trade deadline. GM Joe Cronin's decision to stand pat was controversial at the time.
Portland won nine of their last ten games heading into the Feb. 6 deadline, which was the turning point in their season. They also reportedly didn't find the right value for the Blazers they'd be willing to move. Time will tell whether or not they made the right call.
The two players that Portland has held onto for too long and haven't maximized their value are Jerami Grant and Robert Williams III. Although we're skeptical, hopefully, the Blazers can find a team willing to take on Grant's massive contract this summer when teams have more flexibility. It was always going to be difficult to trade Grant midseason, given his $29.8 million salary.
However, the one player the Blazers had a golden opportunity to trade at peak value at the deadline was Williams.
Blazers should have moved Robert Williams III at the deadline
He was viewed as one of the most coveted big men on the market and had legitimate trade value, proving to teams around the league he was healthy and still impactful as a defensive anchor and lob threat.
Despite investing a top-ten pick into Donovan Clingan and still having Deandre Ayton and Duop Reath on the roster, Portland decided to maintain a steep asking price on Williams.
Before the deadline, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report accurately reported how Williams' perceived asking price of multiple second-round picks was deemed 'wishcasting' by front offices around the league, and Portland needed to be blown away by an offer.
They took an unnecessary gamble on the injury-prone Williams, who doesn't fit well into their timeline. That gamble has already backfired.
Williams has essentially been a non-factor for his second consecutive year in Portland. He's played just 20 games so far this season and almost immediately tanked his trade value after the Feb. 6 deadline, playing a total of two games and 33 minutes since then.
No question about talent of Robert Williams III. His knees? That's the fear. Both have been operated on and limited him to 59 games over last 3 seasons. This season, he's missed 34 of first 52 games - none because of knees. Tonight he left in his 8th minute because of right knee.
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) February 9, 2025
It's unfortunate because Williams is such a great player who fits in well with Portland's identity as a team that likes to be switchable on the defensive end. He offers valuable rim protection, similar to Clingan, but is more versatile out on the perimeter.
But the reality is that Williams' extensive injury history makes him an unreliable player. After successfully increasing his value at the beginning of the season, the Blazers got too greedy.