It didn't take long for Robert Williams III to turn himself into a Boston Celtics fan favorite after being selected 27th overall in the 2018 NBA draft. Initially, his reputation for being late to meetings and flights earned him the nickname "Time Lord," but he quickly made an impact on the hardwood that made everyone forget about his off-court missteps.
Williams carved out a role for himself, becoming a key part of the rotation in his third season in the league. In 2021-22, he was one of the best defensive centers in the league, averaging 9.6 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game and making second-team All-Defense. Since then, however, things haven't gone well for the 27-year-old.
Injuries have caught up to Williams, derailed his career, and are now making it impossible for his current team, the Portland Trail Blazers, to trade him, leaving his outlook up in the air.
Robert Williams III's Contract & Injury Concerns Making Him Difficult to Trade
Williams was never the same after he suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee towards the end of the 2022 regular season. He came back from the injury in less than a month for Boston's playoff run that ended with a six-game loss to the Golden State Warriors. This sacrifice has turned him into more of a folk hero in Boston, but it has been negatively impacting Williams' career ever since.
Over the three seasons since, "Time Lord" was only able to suit up in 61 games between Boston and Portland. This period has been marred by more knee surgeries and arthroscopies, severely affecting his career. While the Celtics were able to eventually reach their goal of winning a championship, they had to do so without Williams, as he was traded to the Blazers in the 2023 offseason as part of the package that landed Jrue Holiday in Boston.
Now, Williams is still on the Blazers' roster, set to make $13.2 million for the 2025-26 season. Yet, he is firmly behind Donovan Clingan and rookie Hansen Yang in the center pecking order. The Trail Blazers are very close to being a tax team in terms of cap space and, therefore, want to trade Williams to create more cap flexibility.
The former Celtics big man, however, makes that very difficult due to his unreliability and high salary. What the future holds for Williams remains to be seen, but this is certainly not what Celtics fans were hoping for for one of the more beloved figures for the organization in recent years.