The Trail Blazers will have to deal with several moving parts and make some tough choices this offseason. One of the most important decisions they’ll face is whether they should retain Robert Williams III, who is set to enter free agency.
The big man’s playoff performance already made it clear that he should be back in Portland, but a quote from his exit interview just cemented that as the obvious course of action.
When asked about his upcoming free agency and if he wants to remain a Blazer, Williams said, “Yeah, for sure, I love Portland. But everything is a negotiation.”
Robert Williams wants to, and should be, back in Portland next season
If Rob really does love Portland, then the team should undoubtedly keep him there for the foreseeable future. He was one of the most impactful Blazers this past season, and he’s the perfect backup center for this club as they enter a competitive era.
Williams was fantastic in his role against the Spurs in Round 1 of the playoffs. He outplayed Donovan Clingan, consistently making his presence felt on both sides of the ball. The center finished the series with averages of 9.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 blocks while shooting 62.9% from the floor. He notched double-digit points in four out of five games in the series.
Time Lord’s standout postseason was a culmination of all the work he did in the regular season. Throughout the year, he looked like one of the NBA’s best backup bigs. He appeared in 59 contests, the most he’s played since 2021-22 (his best individual season), and impacted the game at a borderline All-Defensive level despite playing just 17.1 minutes a night.
The Blazers have more than enough financial flexibility to keep Williams
Tom Dundon can take a deep breath here— he won’t have to splurge to re-sign Rob Will. The Blazers have the vet’s Bird rights, meaning they can bring him back even if they’re already above the salary cap.
If the Blazers are as eager to hold onto Williams as they should be, they can offer him an extension anytime before June 30th, meaning he wouldn’t have to enter free agency at all.
Ultimately, Williams is simply a winning player, and the Blazers want to win now. Keeping him around feels like a no-brainer.
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