Robert

Williams

It’s the worst-case scenario for Big Bob Williams, who was off to a productive start with Portland. His absence means Deandre Ayton should continue to dominate. Toumani Camara and Jabari Walker should see extra playing time, with Camara the most likely beneficiary. Moses Brown is next in line at center, but it’s unlikely he sees enough playing time to be worth rostering in 12-team leagues. Keep an eye on how Portland’s rotation shakes out in the coming games.

This is terrible news for Williams, who can’t seem to stay healthy. There was no timeline given for a potential recovery time, so hopefully there will be one within the next few days. However, it will be a long absence. During that time, Deandre Ayton will continue to see the bulk of the minutes at center, with Toumani Camara and Jabari Walker pitching in a few extra minutes off the bench. Moses Brown is the only other true center on the roster, but he probably isn’t worth rostering.

Time Lord just can’t seem to stay healthy. His knees have been a major issue for him throughout his career, and it’s his right one that’s giving him trouble this time. The severity of the injury is unclear, and it could be something that he plays through. However, it’s difficult to be optimistic, given how it derailed him last season. Toumani Camara could end up seeing some extra minutes if Williams remains sidelined, though Moses Brown is the only true center that will be available behind Deandre Ayton.

Just a day after Joel Embiid was on the fence about resting in the Sixers’ home opener, we’ve got another report of a player being on his “rest behavior.” With Time Lord out of action, Toumani Camara should see more frontcourt minutes, with Moses Brown or Jabari Walker potentially mixing in behind Deandre Ayton and Jerami Grant.

After bouncing back from his poor Blazers debut with a solid effort on Friday, Ayton had a rough night in Philadelphia. On the surface, this performance isn’t a huge issue for fantasy managers who have him rostered. However, Robert Williams (six points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks) playing 26 minutes despite coming off the bench is. The Time Lord has traditionally offered more production on the defensive end of the floor, and that could eventually push him past Ayton in the rotation. Keep an eye on this battle in the games ahead, with the Blazers playing four in Week 2.

Ayton didn’t offer any defensive production but was far better offensively than he was in Portland’s loss to the Clippers on Wednesday. He was efficient offensively against the Magic while also dominating on the glass, but Ayton’s fantasy ceiling can only be so high due to his subpar defensive production. Robert Williams played 20 minutes off the bench, finishing with six points, three rebounds, and two assists in 20 minutes. Both centers should be rostered, but the Time Lord may be slightly more valuable due to his defensive ability/potential.

After not playing at all during the preseason, Williams looked sharp in a reserve role Wednesday night. He shot the ball well and was productive as a defender, outplaying starter Deandre Ayton by a considerable distance. Ayton was limited to 23 minutes by foul trouble, finishing with four points, 12 rebounds, one assist, three steals, and one blocked shot. The Time Lord still doesn’t lack fans among fantasy basketball players, and it isn’t difficult to envision a scenario in which he leaps past Ayton in the pecking order. For now, managers who have Williams rostered will have to settle for quality bench production.

Portland found a new home for the recently acquired Jrue Holiday, and they got themselves a solid haul. Heading to the Pacific Northwest are Williams, Malcolm Brogdon, a 2024 first-round pick (conveyed from Golden State to Portland via Boston), and a 2029 first. While the Time Lord was a fantasy favorite at one point in time, some of the luster was lost due to injury issues. Williams only appeared in 35 games in 2022-23, and he’s hit the 60 games played mark just once in his first five NBA seasons. With Portland having also acquired Deandre Ayton via the Damian Lillard trade, Williams will likely come off the bench, which limits his fantasy value significantly.

The report on Williams playing through Game 7 with a stomach virus might explain why the Celtics center only saw 14 minutes of game action Monday night. Time Lord was reportedly “throwing up during timeouts” and when he subbed out of the game. He had been averaging a little over 19 mpg entering Game 7, putting up five rebounds and just under 10 points per game.

After sticking with the starting lineup that included two bigs (Horford and Robert Williams), Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has decided to make a change. He’s going small, with White replacing the Time Lord in the starting five. That’s the same quintet the Celtics used to begin the second half of Game 2, and it was a better approach to dealing with the Heat until Jimmy Butler took over in the fourth quarter. With Boston in an 0-2 hole, Sunday’s game is of vital importance.