The Portland Trail Blazers reached a three-year, $44 million extension with center Robert Williams III this offseason. That decision was already justified given Williams' strong 2025-26 season in which he proved to be among the league's best backup bigs. Better yet, Portland was able to mitigate Williams' injury risk due to the unique structure of the deal.
Early on in preseason, that decision has already proven to be crucial for maintaining Portland's roster balance. They took a surprisingly guard-heavy approach this offseason with the trade for polarizing Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant.
Many understandably questioned the fit on a team that seriously struggled to shoot the ball last season. There were even more concerns on the defensive end, especially given the possibility of a Morant-Damian Lillard starting backcourt that even head coach Micah Nori has reportedly questioned the logic of.
Robert Williams III extension helps Ja Morant fit in Portland
Preseason has also shown that who's starting in Portland isn't really as big of a deal as the media is making it out to be. The injury to Shaedon Sharpe freed up roughly 30 minutes a night, while the Blazers also have plans to utilize the versatile Jrue Holiday more at the forward spot this season.
Portland is sorting out its guard logjam surprisingly well heading into the season, which is a testament to their skill set, versatility, and unselfishness. That said, this formula never would've worked had it not been for the defensive infrastructure the Blazers previously established in the paint.
Donovan Clingan is the headliner, and for good reason, coming off a five-block night in just 20 minutes against the Sacramento Kings. But Williams' value coming off the bench to maintain that sense of roster balance can't be overstated.
Nori has already talked about what a luxury it is to have Williams available to spell Clingan. There are few, if any, other teams in the league that can go from one defensive anchor to another without skipping a beat as well as Portland.
We saw that last season, when Williams finally was relatively healthy and impactful with 59 games played, the second highest in his injury-riddled career. It seems like Portland has a good understanding of what's required to maintain him throughout the course of the season, including having him sit out back-to-backs.
Many wondered whether Williams would even be in Portland this season, considering the Blazers had invested back-to-back first-round picks at the center position between Clingan and Yang Hansen. However, preseason has already shown early on that Time Lord still has a key role to play on this roster.
Not only is he the bridge to buy time for Hansen to develop, but he's also the bridge to buy minutes for Clingan to rest without their defense falling apart entirely. That wouldn't have been as significant last season, but with how many undersized, offensive-minded guards they now have with the Morant trade and Lillard's return, Williams is proving why he's more important than ever.
The Blazers have more talent than last year's 42-win team, though fit was always going to be the question with their wonky roster. Williams' extension was savvy, as it not only was good value, but it also was essential to counteract the surprising trade for Morant.
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