Being the general manager of an NBA team is not easy. You will be faced with decisions. With that in mind, give a lot of credit to the brass in Portland. The Trail Blazers have had a lot of decisions to make lately, and in our opinion, they’ve aced them.
Trading Damian Lillard couldn’t have been easy. It still had to be done. If nothing else, Portland got quite the return for him. Interestingly, part of that return included Jrue Holiday. The Blazers only acquired him to move him again. They made another smart decision by sending him to the Boston Celtics.
Part of the return for Holiday was Robert Williams III. Do the Blazers intend on moving him? That remains to be seen. He’s an age-appropriate acquisition for this club, but he’s not necessarily a clean fit alongside Deandre Ayton. In time, the Blazers may need to decide which is the big man of their future. If they choose Ayton, could they send Williams III to the Dallas Mavericks?
The Trade Proposal
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: C RIchaun Holmes, 2027 First-Round Pick (DAL)
Dallas Mavericks Receive: C Robert Williams III
Of course, the Mavericks have been busy making decisions as well. Some of them have been safe, and some of them have been risky. That said, they made the most important decision since drafting Lula Doncic at this year’s trade deadline.
Obviously, we’re talking about the decision to acquire Kyrie Irving. That’s a risky move. Irving is a notoriously volatile player, and he was due for a contract this summer. Luckily for Dallas, he resigned with them. As of now, trading for him looks like a smart decision. Irving’s personal volatility meant that Dallas could pay a low cost to acquire him in the first place.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Robert Williams III, Portland Trail Blazers & Dallas Mavericks Updates
On the other hand, the acquisition of Grant Williams was a safe bet. He’s a low-usage, 3-and-D wing who will make this team better. Williams was a smart acquisition, but the Mavericks still need more role players like him to complement Doncic and Irving. Is Williams III the right =role player?
Why The Dallas Mavericks Do The Deal
In theory, sure. Williams III would be the perfect addition to this roster. In practice, Williams III is unfortunately prone to injury, It feels like he gets hurt on an annual basis. Should Dallas take a risk on him?
It depends. If he’s been fully healthy throughout the season, the answer is yes. After all, this is exactly the type of player that Dallas needs. When healthy, Williams III is among the most versatile defensive bigs in the NBA. He’s an elite rim protector who can also defend in space. He could be a huge part of this team’s success.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Robert Williams III, Portland Trail Blazers & Dallas Mavericks Updates
If he recovering from another injury? Dallas will pass. They can’t forfeit an unprotected first for someone they don’t feel they can rely on. Overall, Dallas should at least be monitoring Williams III’s availability. Should the Blazers make him available?
Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do The Deal
For Portland, it doesn’t matter whether Williams III is healthy or not. They should probably move him anyway. For now, they should be hoping to showcase Williams III. They want him healthy – so they can move him at a higher price at the deadline.
After all, his offensive fit with Ayton seems poor. The less time that the Blazers have Scoot Henderson on the floor with two non-shooting big men, the better. Meanwhile, moving Ayton will be more difficult than moving Williams III. He makes about triple the amount of money. In all likelihood, Portland is committed to him.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Robert Williams III, Portland Trail Blazers & Dallas Mavericks Updates
So, they’re netting an unprotected first here. Acquiring Holmes is a moot point – he’s in the deal to make the money work. That’s fine. Holmes’ contract will be easy to move – if that’s what Portland decides to do.
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