3 realistic Robert Williams III replacements the Celtics must pursue

Last week, the Boston Celtics made the bold and daring decision to part ways with defensive stalwart and fan-favorite big man Robert Williams III, as he, along with Malcolm Brogdon and two future first-round picks, were traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for All-Star point guard, Jrue Holiday.

Though from a personal standpoint seeing the 25-year-old be shipped out was certainly a tough pill to swallow for C’s fans, especially considering another favorite in Marcus Smart was already traded away earlier in the offseason, objectively the transaction seems to have made the team much stronger from an overall perspective.

Nevertheless, from all angles, Williams’ presence will undoubtedly be missed, and his specific intangibles and contributions will by no means be easy to replicate.

Still, with his move to Rip City, the Celtics rotation is now down a big man which, considering the question marks surrounding the long-term health of elder statesman Al Horford and recently acquired Kristaps Porzingis, is not an ideal situation for this title-hopeful squad to be in.

Robert Williams replacement options the Boston Celtics must consider targeting

With training camp now underway, should the team wish to bolster the depth within their somewhat depleted frontcourt, now would be the time for Brad Stevens and company to step into action.

While there may not appear to be any perfect fits available for the taking, there are a few players on the free agency market Boston should strongly consider pursuing.

3. Blake Griffin

To cap off an offseason filled with ample change and numerous departures, it could prove to be mightily beneficial both from a depth and overall morale standpoint for this front office to do the opposite of their recent firesale shenanigans by bringing back one familiar face who currently resides on the free agency market.

Blake Griffin opted to take his talents to Boston last season where he saw his role regress to an all-time low compared to the rest of his career.

Instead of festering over it as many fallen stars have been known to do, the big man took his new tasks head-on and, as a result, won over his teammates and coaching staff in the process.

Since his one-year deal with the Celtics came to an end back in July, Griffin has remained untouched by opposing clubs as a free agent, which, in turn, has sparked reports that the veteran is now considering retirement.

However, now with Williams no longer in tow, many believe that the Celtics could once again be in need of adding his services to help fill out their frontcourt depth, and, during a recent appearance at ABCD Hoop Dreams, Brad Stevens hinted that they could be interested in a reunion, as he stated that Griffin “has a fan for life from everybody in our organization” and that “if he decides to keep playing, he wants to come back out East, he knows we’re a phone call away.”