Portland Trail Blazers big man Robert Williams III is set to hit free agency this summer. However, Portland can still extend his contract before June 30. Both Williams and Matisse Thybulle are eligible for up to a four-year, $87 million deal, though the former should be considered the top priority.
Williams totaled 59 games played this past season, which was the second most of his career. That number could've been even higher had Portland not taken an understandably conservative approach, sitting him out in back-to-backs throughout the season.
Williams stated that his goal for next year is to put injuries behind him, shed the minutes restriction, and suit up in back-to-backs. It's fair to question whether that's the best approach for Portland or whoever ultimately winds up with Time Lord. Still, it is a promising sign that Williams' injury-riddled career is on an upward trajectory.
Robert Williams III is irreplaceable for the Blazers
The downside of Williams' resurgence is the timing of it all. While he's proven to be irreplaceable in Portland, other teams around the league have also made note of his impact, driving up his market value as a result. Portland has to pay that increased price, hopefully with some insurance in the form of an injury clause or games played milestone.
The Blazers are at the fun part of their rebuilding timeline: winning basketball games. They finally reached the postseason and have expectations of a deeper run next season, fueled by Damian Lillard's return. Williams has a key role to play in this win-now timeline.
Ideally, Williams would be viewed as expendable, considering the last first-round picks Portland has had were investments at the same position. That's not the reality of the situation. Yang Hansen remains a multi-year project as his shaky rookie season proved he's not ready to make an immediate impact. Donovan Clingan had a strong second-year breakout, but is also somewhat matchup-dependent due to an overreliance on his drop coverage.
In some ways, they need Williams as a stopgap to buy Hansen time to develop. But to call Williams a stopgap is to undersell his importance to this team. He was one of the Blazers' best players in their first-round loss to the Spurs, even outplaying Clingan throughout the series.
Williams' season brings clarity to Portland's frontcourt situation. Hopefully, it's just a matter of time before they commit to keeping Time Lord around in Portland. He's arguably the best backup big in the entire association, giving the Blazers a significant advantage they can't afford to lose.
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