The 2024-25 NBA season is right around the corner, and the way one analyst sees it, the Los Angeles Lakers cannot afford to make a critical mistake that they made in 2023-24 once more for the upcoming campaign.
Lakers urged to trade for Robert Williams III
Bleacher Report’s Erik Beaston argued that the Lakers’ depth chart at power forward behind All-Star Anthony Davis is not fortified enough to withstand injuries or other extenuating circumstances next time out. Thus, Beaston prodded the Lakers to trade for Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III to address the need for frontcourt depth:
“Robert Williams III has played in 215 games and started 97 of them for the Boston Celtics and Portland Trailblazers in his NBA career, averaging 20.5 minutes, 7.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks,” Beaston wrote.
He also finds himself third on the depth chart behind Deandre Ayton and first-round draft pick Donovan Clingan.
Finding a way to acquire him and bring him in as a backup to Davis, or even take the load off of him and allow the superstar to flex his skillset at power forward from time to time, would strengthen the roster as a whole but also give the Lakers some piece of mind at a center position that it will need to get the most out of to compete for their 18th NBA title.”
Williams III is the quintessential type of center who has worked for the Lakers in years past
Davis does not like to play center as his primary position. That has long been known throughout the league. The Lakers also have proven that they could win a championship with a traditional center next to Davis down low, as they did with JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard in 2020.
Williams III would be a close approximation to those two former champions. In addition to the impressive numbers that Beaston accentuated, from the eye test, Williams III shows an impeccable sense of timing when challenging shots at the rim. It greatly enables him to collect rejections without getting in foul trouble, and also send back attempts while keeping them inbounds — a Bill Russell type of skill that enables teams like the Lakers to get out in transition.
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How Williams III can help L.A. next season
The Lakers could greatly benefit from acquiring the 26-year-old. He’d help L.A. continue to play fast and dominant in the interior, as they finished No. 4 in pace (101.4), No. 3 in fast break points (17 FBPPG), and No. 2 in points in the paint (55.6 PITP) last season. What Williams III would add to the Lakers is that he’d give them a great screen-setter and capable rim-runner that can help Los Angeles improve their average defense from a year ago (114.8 DEF rating) and did not generate much offense through off-ball picks.
The circumstances call for a trade to take place. Williams III can return to being a starter as opposed to a third-stringer in Portland. Davis would get his preference, and the Blazers can reap the benefit of dealing with a Lakers front office that has stated their willingness to trade first-round picks for the right price. Williams III is the right price to pay for.
