NBA Trade Rumors: Rockets Could Be 'In The Mix' for Blazers' Robert Williams III

The Houston Rockets could look to trade for Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III.

Jeremy Brener | Jan 23, 2024

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are looking for a center at the NBA Trade Deadline, which is just 16 days away. However, they may be linked to a player who won't exactly help them right away.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the Rockets could be "in the mix" for Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III, who is out for the season with a knee injury. Haynes cited Williams' relationship with Rockets coach Ime Udoka as a reason why the team could make the trade.

"Ime Udoka has always, and still remains very fond of Robert Williams," Haynes said. "So I wouldn't be surprised if Houston is in the mix."

Williams, 26, has two years left on his deal worth a little over $25 million. He could provide tremendous value while his price may not be as high to trade.

The former Celtics center was traded to the Blazers in October as part of the Jrue Holiday deal, which followed Damian Lillard's blockbuster to the Milwaukee Bucks.

When he was with the Celtics, Williams emerged into a solid big man, starting 61 games during Udoka's lone season at the helm. He also started 15 games in the team's Finals run.

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Should Williams come to the Rockets, he would likely become Alperen Sengun's backup next season, giving the team a strong defensive presence in the post in the second unit.

The Rockets will likely need someone other than Williams to address those problems for this late-season run, but it wouldn't hurt to invest more in the future.

Published Jan 23, 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.