Boston Celtics: 4 players worth trading for John Collins

Boston Celtics player No. 4) Robert Williams

I saved Robert Williams for last because I am the most hesitant about trading him.

He has been quite the revelation, truly solidifying the frontcourt rotation for the Boston Celtics this year; his improvement has been drastic, to say the least.

He is posting a career-high in points and rebounds per game, as well as an astonishing 72.3 percent shooting from the field, good for second best in the league with at least 65 shots attempted.

However, where Time Lord has really improved is his decision making and intelligence on the defensive end. In past years, he was far too easily baited into jumping at pump fakes, could not read a switch or rotation if his life counted on it, and, overall, even with his shot-blocking ability, was a negative defensively.

This year, in more minutes per game than last, he is averaging just 1.5 fouls per game, down 0.3 from 2019-20. His defensive field goal percentage within six feet (or in the paint) is 56.3 percent, compared to his opponent’s average of 62.9 percent, which is a difference of -6.7%.

I have always thought Robert Williams could become a Mitchell Robinson-esque player for Boston, but, at this point, you can make a solid argument that he is better than Robinson. He is an extremely talented defensive player who can block almost any shot when in the paint.

The same goes offensively, as his lob ability is off the charts; he can and will catch anything within a few feet of the rim and slam it home.

Williams is the embodiment of the word effective.

He gets it done quickly on offense, especially now with the inclusion of a midrange jumper, shooting 100 percent from 10-16 feet from the hoop, and 40 percent from 16 feet to the 3-point line. Not to mention he is shooting nearly 82 percent at the hoop on layups and dunks.

All in all, Grabbing six rebounds, scoring six points, and blocking nearly one and a half shots per game in less than 15 minutes is very impressive. If the Boston Celtics didn’t have so many frontcourt players, Robert Williams could easily be a 10 and 10 guy with two to three blocks per game, and could be a very important piece on a contender or on a young team, as he fits any timeline.

Like we said before, Rob Will is an amazing young player and he is last on this list because, honestly, I would be slightly hesitant to let him go, for I feel that his potential is off the charts. In my humble opinion, I think a prime comparison could be Tree Rollins.

Obviously, John Collins is already a proven difference-maker, and, at the end of the day, if the deal is right you have to say goodbye to Williams, but definitely try to hold onto him as long as possible.