The NBA trade season has been surprisingly quiet so far, but expect the action to pick up in the coming weeks with just one month to go until the Feb. 5 deadline. The Portland Trail Blazers sat out last season's historic deadline, but could be more active this time around. If they do wind up making a move, Robert Williams III should be considered the most likely Blazers player to be traded.
Williams was a trade candidate last season, but Portland ultimately decided that they valued him more than the second-round picks he was rumored to be available for. What they can get in exchange for their talented but injury-prone big man remains to be seen, but Portland is now expected to be more willing to trade him.
Blazers' messy roster complicates Robert Williams trade decision
Williams is on an expiring $13.3 million salary, meaning it's going to force the Blazers' hand one way or another. Ideally, they would decide on his future by February rather than letting him walk in free agency for nothing. However, this decision isn't as black-and-white as many would expect. The Blazers have a somewhat messy roster that has a lot of complex layers to it, and as a result, you can make a legitimate case to either keep or trade Time Lord.
In theory, the Blazers should feel comfortable moving on from their veteran as they have prioritized their long-term outlook and recently invested first-round picks at the position. But unfortunately, we still don't know who would be the backup to Donovan Clingan if Williams left the picture.
The Blazers have a lot of bigs in a crowded frontcourt, but they still lack reliable options. The Yang Hansen experiment has been concerning, as Portland's rookie is struggling to crack the rotation early on. Meanwhile, Duop Reath remains an NBA tweener -- not big enough to protect the paint or quick enough to play out on the perimeter. In fact, Portland should consider replacing Reath with two-way player Sidy Cissoko on the 15-man roster.
Still, the obvious case for trading Williams is that he isn't necessarily a reliable option himself. While he's been relatively healthy and impactful this season, Time Lord has only exceeded 35 games in two of his last seven seasons. That's a major red flag. Portland should get whatever assets it can before taking on a significant risk with a new contract.
While their frontcourt would be incredibly shallow, this team has no playoff expectations this season anyway. But that's the big question at the deadline: what direction does Portland truly want to take this roster? Their win-now trade for Jrue Holiday and the Yang Hansen project this offseason have contradictory timelines, blurring the true intentions of their front office.