Key takeaways
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The Blazers are rebuilding around Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.
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Anfernee Simons could be traded with emphasis on Henderson and Sharpe as future backs.
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Robert Williams III’s All-Defense value is hampered by an injury history, making him a potentially coveted bargain at center.
THE
Portland Trail Blazersaren’t going anywhere this season, and they’re taking their young core with them.
THE the franchise is trying to build around the leader
choice #3 of the 2023 NBA DraftAnd
Shaedon Sharpe
the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft.
The jury is still out on both players. Henderson struggled for most of his rookie season, but he showed the skills of a downhill distributor and potential shooter. Sharpe showed incredible athleticism and a growing offensive game in spurts, but he struggled with injuries last season and never quite got the hang of his rookie form.
The Blazers are still in the early stages of a complete franchise overhaul, having traded away the franchise icon
At
Milwaukee Bucksbefore last season. But then they re-signed
Jerami Grant
to a long-term deal despite Grant being a productive 29-year-old veteran.
Malcolm Brogdon, who they received in the Lillard trade, is staying through the 2023-24 season.
Both players are contributing to the win, which is not what the Trail Blazers are looking to do right now. It’s no coincidence that both players were sidelined due to injuries (i.e. tanking) for most of the second half of last year.
Anfernee Simons
is a highly regarded trade candidate across the league, and with Henderson and Sharpe making up Portland’s backcourt of the future, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before Simons is treated.
The franchise selected the UConn pivot
Donovan Clingan
with the No. 7 pick in this summer’s draft, so
Deandre Ayton
could end up on the trade market at some point this season.
But another member of the Blazers’ frontcourt is also available. Unlike Ayton, he’s on a team-friendly contract. Unlike Ayton, he made an All-Defense team. Unlike Ayton, acquiring him won’t cost teams much.
Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III will be coveted across the NBA
The 26-year-old could be a bargain
Williams was named to the All-Defense Second Team in the 2021-22 season. He also finished seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting after averaging 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in just 29.6 minutes per game.
Per 36 minutes, his statistics climb to 12.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 2.7 blocks.
During his six
Over the years, Williams has compensated for his 6’1″ frame with one of the most explosive athletic assets in the league, especially for a center. He’s also one of the most active and hard-working players around the rim and at the basket.
After his All-Defense season, the
Boston Celticsoffered Williams a four-year, $48 million contract — a steal for a then-24-year-old with the combination of production and potential the former Texas A&M star possessed.
Unfortunately, one thing prevented him from turning that team-friendly contract into one of the most valuable in the NBA.
Williams III has had to battle injuries
He just can’t stay on the ground
Despite the extra precautions the Trail Blazers took with their new center (he played just one game in two to start last season), it took Williams just two weeks to suffer a knee injury that ultimately required surgery.
He played a total of six games for Portland.
He had Left knee surgery twice in Boston. He only played more than 50 games twice with the Celtics and was a full-time starter only during his All-Defense campaign.
In his six NBA seasons, he played 215 regular-season games. Hence Portland’s willingness to trade a center of Williams’ caliber, which also fits the franchise’s rebuilding timeline.
This may be the perfect opportunity for a team in need of a center to take a chance on Williams. He has just two seasons left on his current contract, $12.4 million this season and $13.3 million in 2025-26.
While the Trail Blazers could hope for a bigger return, the 26-year-old’s injury history likely means he can be had for a heavily protected first-round pick or seconds.
He won’t be the biggest name on the trade market this year, but Williams could be one of the most coveted, especially as the trade deadline approaches.
