Robert Williams III has finally returned to game action for the Portland Trail Blazers. He played 11 minutes in Portland's NBA Cup win over the Denver Nuggets, and provided flashes of the Williams of old, giving the Blazers a boost off the bench to help spell Donovan Clingan. While that's an encouraging sign for Portland due to Williams' value as a two-way force, they also can't lose sight of the big picture.
Blazers must cut their losses with Robert Williams
Unfortunately, Williams' career has been derailed by injuries. He was supposed to be a key piece in Portland's return from the initial Jrue Holiday deal with the Boston Celtics, but he has accumulated just 26 games played over the past two seasons.
Additionally, the Blazers have recently invested consecutive first-round picks at the center position. Rookie Yang Hansen received a "DNP - coach's decision" against Denver with Williams being back, as there aren't enough minutes to go around at the center position -- especially since none of Portland's centers seem capable of effectively playing the power forward spot in today's NBA.
Lastly, Williams' contract is set to expire after the season. While he fits what they are trying to accomplish in terms of their defensive identity, it doesn't make sense for Portland to continue investing in Williams. Clingan and Hansen's career trajectories will only go up from here, making Williams much more expendable. After factoring in his injury-proneness, there's not enough to justify having this luxury on the roster.
Last season, the Blazers successfully built up Williams' value prior to February, only to ultimately keep him past the trade deadline for him to get hurt again shortly after. They must learn from that mistake and be more open to shopping Williams this time around, especially considering his expiring contract.
It may not be a lucrative market out there, as Portland has one of the most injury-prone bigs in the league on an expiring deal. Ideally, they find a way to better balance out their roster by trading Williams for a reliable shooter to bring off the bench. But even if it's just second-round picks and a salary filler, the Blazers must get something out of this. They don't want to let him walk for nothing, or perhaps even worse -- re-sign him and let this endless cycle continue.
It's tempting to keep Williams around now that he's playing well, but the Blazers know this story all too well. They must cut their losses and move on with Clingan and Hansen as the center duo of the future.