Given Robert Williams III's extensive injury history and expiring contract, there's no winning for the Trail Blazers. Either he's not healthy enough to make an impact, failing to return value to Portland as a key asset in the initial Jrue Holiday deal. Or, he returns to form, increasing his value to teams around the league right before he's set to hit free agency.
In the short term, it's great that it's trending towards the latter. Portland is all but a lock to make a play-in spot, and Williams' veteran presence will help guide their youth through those uncharted territories. But with that being the case, he could be playing himself directly off the Blazers.
Robert Williams III is playing himself off the Blazers
Time Lord has suddenly become one of the best backups in the league. That's essential for Portland's frontcourt, considering Duop Reath was traded and Yang Hansen isn't ready for any meaningful minutes. However, teams are seeing how important he's become in Portland, which could result in his very departure.
Bill Simmons even recently suggested on The Bill Simmons Podcast that the Blazers may sneakily lose Williams in free agency to a bigger contract than people expect.
A three-year, $50 million deal was the figure Simmons threw out as a hypothetical, adding, "there's going to be another cycle for him as a guy that good teams talk themselves into as a playoff guy."
Williams has been great in Portland this season, but if he does wind up getting close to $17 million annually, they would be better off letting him walk. Donovan Clingan and Hansen have always been the long-term plan, with Williams filling in as a bridge to buy time until that duo of the future, particularly Hansen, is ready.
There's a reason Portland was exploring trade offers for multiple seasons, as he is clearly expendable, despite the impact he's had. The Blazers decided to keep him past the deadline, as they valued him more than the second-round picks or any other package they could've received on the market. But that market could shift between the deadline and free agency. Although the injury concerns remain, teams no longer have to give Portland assets to risk Williams being a short-term rental.
We're at a crossroads where Williams is becoming increasingly valuable to other teams around the league while becoming more expendable for Portland, at least as a long-term investment. He's exceeded expectations for the Blazers, giving their frontcourt a major boost this season. But that very thing could lead to his departure, with nothing more than a play-in game to show for the veteran's impact.