With the Trail Blazers investing consecutive first-round picks into the center position with the selections of Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, many have wondered what that means for Robert Williams III and whether his time in Portland is coming to an end. Williams is on an expiring contract, meaning it could make sense for the Blazers to flip him to a contender at the trade deadline.
However, it doesn't seem as though a deal will materialize, given the wide gap between how Portland values him and his trade value around the league.
Value gap keeps Robert Williams III in Portland
Last season, rumors circulated about Williams being available for multiple second-round picks. Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report shot that down, saying it was largely "wishcasting" by other front offices.
Unfortunately, Williams suffered an injury shortly after the deadline and has now played a total of 26 games in his two years with the Blazers. Portland clearly values him more than a couple of second-round picks, while the injuries have lowered Williams' value and kept the offers down.
In a perfect world, the Blazers would use October-February to build Williams' value back up, proving to teams that he's still impactful and, most significantly, reliable as someone who can consistently stay on the court. But we may be well past that point, as there's now a seven-year sample size suggesting otherwise. Even if Williams was healthy at the deadline, would a team really be willing to give up significant assets and bet on that remaining the case? I certainly wouldn't, especially if you have to either re-sign him and continue that cycle or let him walk for nothing in free agency.
It's also a catch-22 situation for Portland. Last year, they managed to build up Williams' value as he played a key role as a rim protector and lob threat off the bench. The problem was, at that point, the Blazers fell for their own trap -- they didn't want to part ways with Williams because he was making such an impact as a two-way center.
In theory, Williams is a perfect fit for Portland's center rotation. He offers something neither Donovan Clingan nor Yang Hansen does, as he is a versatile defender who is better at holding his own out on the perimeter. It's crucial for the Blazers to have that dimension, as there's potentially going to be situations this season where neither first-rounder can keep up with their matchup.
But do we really know that Chauncey Billups will have the option to bring Williams off the bench when that time comes? Going by Williams' career games played, there's a 41% chance he'll even be available.
Perhaps Hansen immediately addresses those concerns surrounding his speed and agility, making Williams more expendable. Or maybe Williams proves to be healthy, and a contending team is finally willing to meet Portland at their steep price point. Plenty can change between now and February's trade deadline. But for now, Williams will remain in Portland, for better or worse.