Just two years ago, Robert Williams was a key part of the Boston Celtics playing their way to the top of the league, utilizing his elite defensive presence to help propel them to an NBA Finals berth.
But two knee surgeries and one season later, he may be more expendable than most people realize, as his talent has been overwhelmed by an inability to stay on the court.
Looking at this past season, it’s easy to forget just how many games Williams missed. He appeared in 35 regular season games for the Celtics, and his minutes dropped significantly.
5 Robert Williams trades for the Boston Celtics to consider this summer
At his peak, Williams is one of the most impactful defenders in the league, but it was clear the knee surgeries took a toll on him this past season, making him much less effective. This isn’t to say Williams can’t get back to where he once was. A full offseason of work could have him back and better than ever, ready to help the Celtics compete for a title again next year. And on his current contract, the Celtics have a steal. Investing in Williams’ future could be key to their success moving forward.
However, he’s also one of their most valuable trade assets, as his Defensive Player of the Year potential and reasonable contract could make him a top target for opposing sides. Trading Williams shouldn’t be a priority for Boston, nor should they feel obliged to field trade offers for the star big man. But they also shouldn’t turn down trade calls for him.
Here are five Williams trades that could make sense for the Celtics this offseason.
Robert Williams trade for Boston Celtics to consider this summer with the Washington Wizards
As the Washington Wizards field trade offers for Bradley Beal, the rest of their roster could be available as well, and Kristaps Porzingis would fit well alongside the Boston Celtics’ stars.
Al Horford is only getting older, and eventually, he could be better off sliding back into the bench unit. This trade would allow him to do that, giving the Celtics a great scoring punch and defensive presence to replace him.
Porzingis just wrapped up an extremely impressive season in Washington, putting up All-Star-caliber numbers and refinding some of the defensive success he was known for with the New York Knicks.
Placing him at the center position in Boston would give them some extra scoring while also shoring up the interior defensively, while Jayson Tatum could (at times) take over the free safety defensive role Robert Williams would leave behind.
In addition, Porzingis’ contract is up at the end of the year, so the Celtics could either re-sign him or use the opportunity to rebalance their books as the new CBA rolls in.
Meanwhile, the Wizards would add two solid young pieces in exchange for Porzingis, with Williams highlighting the package. Williams would have a chance to show more stuff on both ends of the court, and he’ll still only be 26 years old heading into next year.
Payton Pritchard would also be a nice piece for them to take a chance on, as the young guard is itching for more minutes. They would also be able to flip Malcolm Brogdon and get a decent package for him.
Potential starting lineups
Celtics: Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Pozingis
Wizards: Payton Pritchard, Corey Kispert, Deni Avdija, Robert Williams, Daniel Gafford
Robert Williams trade for Boston Celtics to consider this summer with the Dallas Mavericks
This trade may not appeal to some Boston Celtics fans at first, but in the long run, it could be a good way for them to continue competing at an extremely high level now and extend their title window financially.
The 10th pick in this year’s draft is obviously the biggest asset in this deal, and maybe the Celtics attempt to flip it. However, making the selection would give them a high-level player who could help in the rotation now and potentially develop with the current core.
Maxi Kleber is an extremely underrated big man, who, despite dealing with some injury issues, has been far more reliable than Williams throughout their respective careers. He’s a solid defender who can hit the three-point shot.
Tim Hardaway Jr. isn’t quite as good as Malcolm Brogdon, but he’s another off-ball player who would fit nicely alongside the current core, and he makes a bit less money.
For the Dallas Mavericks, this trade would give them three upgrades to pair alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, though they would be taking a risk in Williams. However, Williams’ defensive presence and athleticism would pair nicely next to Doncic and Irving, and Brogdon’s shooting and shot creation would be helpful, too. The same can be said about Payton Pritchard.
Potential starting lineups
Celtics: Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford
Mavericks: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Reggie Bullock, Josh Green, Robert Williams
Robert Williams trade for Boston Celtics to consider this summer with the Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors could potentially look to rebuild their roster this summer, and a guy like Robert Williams could potentially be of interest to them.
Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. are both reportedly set to enter free agency and leave Toronto this summer, and if Toronto enters a full-on rebuild, Pascal Siakam and Jakob Poeltl could be gone, too. If that’s the case, Boston should make a call about OG Anunoby, as they could use the added wing depth, and his skillset would fit in perfectly with the rest of the Celtics’ core. Chris Boucher would help make up for the loss of Williams, but Al Horford would likely remain in the starting lineup as the sole big man.
For Toronto, adding a guy like Williams alongside Scottie Barnes for the future would give their young core elite defensive potential. And if they rebuild, they can afford to take on risky, injury-prone targets. The Raptors could then flip Malcolm Brogdon into more assets if they would rather get more draft capital, or they could simply have him run the offense for the time being.
Two first-rounders may seem like a lot, but Anunoby is on a great contract for the next two seasons, and the Raptors supposedly wanted three firsts at this past deadline.
Potential starting lineups
Celtics: Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, OG Anunoby, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford
Raptors: Malcolm Brogdon, (Pick #13 in 2023 NBA Draft), Scottie Barnes, (Other young player), Robert Williams
Robert Williams trade for Boston Celtics to consider this summer with the Portland Trail Blazers
Similar to the Dallas Mavericks deal, this trade wouldn’t be a huge splash, but it would help the Boston Celtics round out the roster a bit, while the Portland Trail Blazers would improve defensively.
Adding extra wing depth to the roster should be a priority for the Celtics this summer, and Nassit Little would give them just that on an amazing contract for the next few years.
During his time in Portland, Little has emerged as a quality 3-and-D guy, and with the Celtics, he would have a chance to hone in on those two skillsets, asked to merely hit threes and play solid defense.
Trendon Watford is an underrated piece, too, as he churned in a solid season for the Trail Blazers this past year. He’s shown glimpses of a solid three-point shot and can play the power forward position well.
Moving up in the draft would also give the Celtics a chance to draft a first-round talent, getting a new player on a solid contract for four years.
Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers would be eyeing a new starting center, as they could end up using Jusuf Nurkic’s contract in a blockbuster trade alongside Anfernee Simons and the third pick in this year’s draft.
Portland’s defense has been rough for a long while, and adding Williams to the lineup to man the middle would undoubtedly help shore things up.
Potential starting lineups
Celtics: Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford
Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard, Matisse Thybulle, (Trade for star), Jerami Grant, Robert Williams
Robert Williams trade for Boston Celtics to consider this summer with the Memphis Grizzlies
Yet another deal that would prioritize depth over star power, this trade would see the Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies swap rotational pieces in an attempt to aid rotational diversity.
For the Celtics, this deal would net them help across the board, with Brandon Clarke being the primary piece coming back. He would take Robert Williams’ place as the backup center, but like Williams, will be coming off an injury.
While that may be a concern, Clarke doesn’t come with the same injury history that Williams possesses, and he’s also under contract for a year longer.
Luke Kennard would give the Celtics some wing depth, and while he’s not a great defender by any means, his three-point shot would replace what Boston would be losing in Malcolm Brogdon. Ziaire Williams is the real X-Factor here. Memphis has a ton of young wings on the roster, and while they may prioritize Williams, he only earned around 15 minutes per game next year. He still has the potential to develop into a quality player.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies would add Williams to an already-stacked defensive lineup and could use him as a starter next to Jaren Jackson Jr. or a backup for the reigning DPOY.
Brogdon would help them replace some of the ball-handling duties Ja Morant will leave behind for the first portion of the season, and even when he returns, Brogdon’s floor spacing will be a huge help.
Potential starting lineups
Celtics: Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford
Grizzlies: Ja Morant, Malcolm Brogdon, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., Steven Adams