The New York Knicks continue to find ways to bolster their center rotation after Isaiah Hartenstein left for the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency this summer. The team re-signed Precious Achiuwa to a one-year deal, and he’ll fight for minutes alongside Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims.
However, that might not be enough for the New York Knicks since Mitchell Robinson is injury-prone and Jericho Sims is a developing project.
John Hollinger of The Athletic urges the team to explore the possibility of prying Robert Williams III away from the Pacific Northwest since the Portland Trail Blazers drafted Donovan Clingan this summer.
“The other guy who theoretically checks all the boxes is Robert Williams III in Portland. Again, that’s another one where the Knicks probably want to let the season play out and see if he can stay in the lineup for more than a week or two consecutively,” Hollinger wrote.
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Robert Williams III was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers by the Boston Celtics just before the 2023-24 season as part of the Jrue Holiday deal.
Is Robert Williams III a good fit for the New York Knicks?
Having Robert Williams III will surely help the New York Knicks’ title hopes next season because of his ability to finish and protect the rim. The 27-year-old center is also on a team-friendly contract, where he’ll earn not more than $13 million in the next two seasons.
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However, his injury history is hard to ignore, and the New York Knicks cannot afford to deal with it. When he moved to Portland last season, he was expected to be a part of the team’s rotation but played in just six games before suffering a dislocated patella that needed season-ending surgery.
Williams has only played in more than 60 regular season games during a season once in his six-year NBA career.
