The Lakers trade search for a big man continues, though the team, like much of the league, remains in a holding pattern on the trade front, for now. The Lakers are limited in what they can do because, for one thing, they have a full roster of 15 players and, for another, they are up against the dreaded “second apron” of the NBA’s luxury tax.
Head coach JJ Redick has publicly admitted that the biggest hole in the roster is a “bruising” big guy, a player they can line up next to Anthony Davis in the middle. Davis has been the center for the Lakers pretty much since he arrived in L.A. in 2019, but he prefers to be a power forward.
With that in mind, the Lakers have been investigating their options at center. One player who makes some sense and is considered to be available on the trade market: Portland’s Robert Williams, who has had trouble staying healthy during his NBA career, but who is a terrific defensive big guy when he’s on the floor.
What’s more: He is most definitely available.
“I don’t think anyone on that roster is untouchable except maybe their young guys,” one NBA executive said of the Blazers. “They’re asking for a lot for their pieces and I think it’s kind of a waiting game to see if the price comes down on some of those guys. But Rob (Williams) is on a good contract, he would be a huge help as long as you can keep him healthy.”
That would be the concern for the Lakers, or any team pursuing Williams. He has struggled with knee injuries throughout his NBA career, and played just six games last season before going out for the year with surgery to repair a ligament in his right knee.
Williams has played an average of just 36 games per year since he came into the league.
But when healthy, Williams can be a dominant defensive big guy. He finished seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2022, and averaged 10.0 points and 9.6 rebounds that season, also clocking 2.2 blocked shots per game.
While he is not much of a threat on offense, he is an excellent passer from the post and a very athletic lob-finisher. He has shot 72.9% from the field in his career.
The Lakers could probably use a center who could also shoot a bit, at least to create some room for Davis and star forward LeBron James to operate. But perimeter-shooting bigs are hard to find, and the Lakers would welcome Williams’ defense.
The hard part, though, would be putting together a package that would get Williams in a Lakers trade. He is in the third season of a four-year, $48 million contract given to him by the Celtics, before he was traded to Portland in the Jrue Holiday deal.
If the Lakers are willing to send out Gabe Vincent and Jalen Hood-Schifino—a package that would hurt their guard depth—the money would work for a Williams trade. But the Blazers have been seeking first-round picks in deals for their players, and it is doubtful that the Lakers would give up one of the first-round picks that they have available in a deal for an oft-injured player like Williams.
But if the Blazers view Hood-Schifino—who was the Lakers’ first-rounder in 2023—as a de facto first-rounder, the trade would make some sense for both sides.
Williams could be a huge boost—if healthy, that is.
