The Portland Trail Blazers earned a good haul in their recent trade of Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics.
One of the stars they got in return for Holiday was Robert Williams III, the 25-year-old big man who has played in the league for five seasons.
Williams has a huge upside and can do a lot for the Blazers but so far fans haven’t seen him perform.
Sean Highkin cleared up why Williams hasn’t participated in any preseason games.
“Robert Williams III is out. Banged knees with Jerami Grant in practice. Chauncey Billups called it a ‘nasty collision’ and said he’s a little sore so they’re being cautious,” Highkin said on Twitter.
Robert Williams III is out. Banged knees with Jerami Grant in practice. Chauncey Billups called it a “nasty collision” and said he’s a little sore so they’re being cautious.
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) October 13, 2023
This news definitely made fans of the team collectively hold their breath.
There is no doubt that Williams is a dynamic and impactful player.
Last season, he averaged 8 points and 8.3 rebounds a game.
His 74.7% field goal percentage proves that when he gets down in the paint, he can almost always score.
The big problem with Williams is that he is injury-prone and isn’t able to deliver on the court often because he misses a lot of time.
Last year, he participated in 35 games, and 61 in the season before.
So the news of Williams getting hurt again is very troubling indeed.
However, Billups said that Williams is just a little sore, which suggests he could be feeling much better soon.
The Blazers sure hope so because Williams could end up being a huge defensive asset in the season ahead, as long as he can stay healthy.
With the power of Deandre Ayton and Williams, the Blazers frontcourt has a chance to be a whole lot stronger.
Now, if only both of the big men they acquired this summer can stay in good shape.
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