Blazers Center Named Option for Knicks

The New York Knicks could trade for Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 8, 2024

Oct 27, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) shoots a basket during the first half against Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner (21) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are looking for ways to boost their center rotation and complement Mitchell Robinson, Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims.

The team has one roster spot still open and they could possibly use it on Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III, who has been a subject of trade rumors ever since he was dealt to the pacific northwest.

"The other guy who theoretically checks all the boxes is Robert Williams III in Portland. Again, that’s another one where the Knicks probably want to let the season play out and see if he can stay in the lineup for more than a week or two consecutively," The Athletic insider John Hollinger said.

Williams, who turns 27 in October, was traded to the Blazers by the Boston Celtics just before the start of last season as part of the Jrue Holiday deal. Holiday was traded to the Blazers from the Milwaukee Bucks for Damian Lillard in a three-team blockbuster deal with the Phoenix Suns.

Williams was expected to be a part of the Blazers rotation this past season, but he played in just six games before dislocating his patella. The injury required surgery, which kept him on the sidelines for the rest of the season.

This isn't the first time Williams has dealt with injuries. He has only played in more than 60 games during a season once in his six-year career, but when healthy, Williams has proven that he can be a strong player for a contending team.

He was the starting center for the Celtics during their run to the 2022 NBA Finals, proving he can play a decent amount of minutes as well.

Williams may not be expected to fulfill that role with the Knicks, but New York may still want to reach out to Portland and gauge his price and availability to consider drumming up an offer if he ever were to become a true trade target.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Aug 8, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.