Trade Value: Second Round Picks
Williams’ career has been a disappointment. After making an All-Defense team in 2022, he’s simply been unable to stay on the court. He’s played just 77 games in the last three and a half years. When he’s out there, he’s very valuable because he is a mobile defensive player who has awesome help instincts and can protect the rim. He’s also an efficient finisher at the rim who can operate in short-roll situations on offense with his passing vision. The good news is that he’s been able to play in 16 games this year and has seen nearly 250 minutes of action. But I don’t know that you can rely on that to continue, either, given that teams have to work hard to manage his knee.
Williams’ $13.3 million contract is expiring this year, which means the Blazers will have a choice as to whether they continue to work with him on his injuries or if they try to cash in at the deadline for whatever they can get. A team with an established starting center looking for a difference-maker off the bench is the best situation for Williams. For 15 to 20 minutes per night, he can be an impact guy. But that also holds true for the Blazers, who want to be competent and solid but have precious little center depth behind Donovan Clingan if they were to trade Williams with how raw Yang Hansen is. The team wants its identity to be on the defensive end, and the 226 minutes with both Clingan and Jrue Holiday on the court have resulted in a terrific 111.1 defensive rating that shows the potential. They just need to find reliable answers when those players leave the court.