Veteran Blazers Center Traded to West Contender in Intriguing Hypothetical

Should Portland take this asset-building risk?

Oct 27, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) drives to the basket during the first half against Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) Deandre Ayton (2) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers should be doing all they can to maximize their bid for a tanktastic 2024-25 season. That includes trying to move on from the contract of 27-year-old injury-prone backup center Robert Williams III, who seems like optimal trade fodder as part of a crowded center rotation.

Since getting traded away from the Boston Celtics last summer, Williams has suited up for a scant six games with Portland thus far. On November 5, a right knee patellar dislocation following a collision with then-reigning Memphis Grizzlies Defensive Player of the Year power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. ended his season almost before it started.

Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes believes there could be mutual interest between the Trail Blazers and the Memphis Grizzlies in a Williams deal, proposing that Portland flips its 6-foot-9 backup center in exchange for power forward Brandon Clarke and a pair of future second round picks.

"But the Grizzlies are giving up their own damaged goods in Clarke—an undersized big who got by on elite athleticism before tearing his Achilles late in the 2022-23 campaign," Hughes writes. " His contract runs one season longer than Williams’, but is an almost identical match on an annual-salary basis. The Grizz send over a couple of seconds to make up the difference, with the Blazers glad to take back the lesser injury risk and possibly open up more playing time for rookie center Donovan Clingan."

Clingan, the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after two championship seasons with the University of Connecticut Huskies, deserves major run behind expected starting five Deandre Ayton. Ayton, too, should be seriously looked at as a potential trade chip. The 6-foot-11 former No. 1 pick, a below-average starting center, is the team's highest-paid player, slated to fetch $34 million in 2024-25. Clingan, 20, has the advent of his massive defensive upside in his favor. It might also behoove Portland to free up more run for fellow backup big Duop Reath, who enjoyed a surprisingly impressive rookie season last year.

In 68 games (20 starts), the 6-foot-10 LSU product averaged 9.1 points while slashing .461/.359/.742, 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.5 steals a night.

Clingan looked tantalizing in Summer League play already, at least around the rack. Through four games in Las Vegas, Clingan averaged 9.0 on 35.7 percent field goal shooting and 50 percent foul line shooting, but more intriguingly he also notched 12.3 rebounds and 4.3 blocks a night.

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