Robert Williams III is considered the most likely Portland Trail Blazers player to be traded by the Feb. 5 deadline. But where would that leave their frontcourt?
Donovan Clingan has already excelled in his starting role. He's even proving capable of taking on increased minutes due to his improved conditioning level, which was a point of emphasis over the offseason. But besides Clingan, the Blazers, with four centers on their roster, somehow still lack reliable options in the frontcourt.
Williams has been playing much better this season, largely thanks to his health. In fact, that's what makes him a trade candidate. Not only is he only an expiring contract, but his value has likely increased around the league with teams seeing that he's healthy and impactful.
Some have also assumed that Portland would deem Time Lord to be more expendable after investing consecutive first-round picks at the center position. That's where we're not so sure. It's largely because of how Yang Hansen has looked this season.
Yang Hansen's struggles make Robert Williams more important than ever
Portland's rookie has struggled early on, looking lost on both sides of the ball as he attempts to adjust to the steep learning curve of the NBA compared to the CBA. He's fallen entirely out of their rotation, failing to gain the trust of interim head coach Tiago Splitter.
If Williams is out of the picture -- whether that's due to trade or injury (both of which, unfortunately, are very real scenarios) -- Hansen will have to be thrown into the fire, which is something Splitter has previously said he doesn't want to do.
The only other options would be playing small ball with Jerami Grant at the five or giving Duop Reath extended stretches, neither of which sounds any better than playing Hansen. Those options may work with specific matchups, but the Blazers are a team built around their defensive identity, and will have a hard time making that a reality without a defensive anchor.
That's why Williams is quietly more valuable to this team than many realize. He's a perfect complementary piece for Clingan, giving the Blazers another defensive dimension as someone who is more versatile and better equipped to guard out on the perimeter.
This is not to say the Blazers should consider Williams off-limits this trade season. With his injury history and expiring contract, it's still worth seeing what's out there. But, as was the case last trade deadline, it wouldn't be surprising if Portland decides they value Williams more than he's worth on the market.
That's partially due to what they would be left with if he were gone. With Reath and Hansen both virtually unplayable, Portland's unreliable frontcourt would suddenly turn into a significant liability. It could even become the very thing that prevents them from returning to the postseason.