Robert Williams (Merged Threads)

[GreenEnvy]

I have high hopes for Williams due to his athleticism. But I feel he may need just a couple extra years beyond what we need.

I hope he can show enough flashes of being a potential impact player to be a trade piece that seals a major trade.

It’s pretty rare that our biggest issue is not having a bad contract to use for a trade. Matching salaries for an upgrade will almost always result in an overpay.

[LarBrd33]

Robert "Time Lord" Williams Full Highlights 2018.12.10 vs Pelicans - 7 pts, 3 ClockBlocks, 11 rbs:  https://youtu.be/tG0TN2E_vyU

[Celtics4ever]

I hope he can show enough flashes of being a potential impact player to be a trade piece that seals a major trade.

He is potentially a game changer defensively, he is active and he gets boards.   Why rush to trade him?  With him you have cost contol on a rookie contract with tons of potential.  Death to small ball!

[ederson]

With Yabu out for a while I'm guessing we will finally see more Robert Williams.

Or Horford and Baynes will get healthy quick and the bigs rotation will be Horford, Morris, Baynes, Theis Ojeleye and Williams will never see the floor

Tonight, Williams had 7 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 1 steal in 26 minutes against the best big in the game.

You mean the big that had 41 points tonight?

Although i don't agree with the exaggerations said about RW , in his defence DA can drop 41 on  anyone.

[GreenEnvy]

I hope he can show enough flashes of being a potential impact player to be a trade piece that seals a major trade.

He is potentially a game changer defensively, he is active and he gets boards.   Why rush to trade him?  With him you have cost contol on a rookie contract with tons of potential.  Death to small ball!

For precisely the reason I said, for a major trade that can put us over the top. I’m not looking to salary dump him.

We may have four first rounders coming our way, we can’t exactly afford all these young projects (which Williams still is, hence why he fell to 27) while trying to contend.

I like his skill set and think he can be a real player in this league, but he may not fit our timeline, which is right now. If some team can use a defensive big with high upside, we may be able to upgrade NOW.

[BitterJim]

One of my main concern with him (and most rookies) is fouling, so seeing him go 26 minutes with only 1 PF is a very encouraging sign

With everyone healthy, though, I'd rather see him get 25+ minutes in the G League than maybe 5 minutes with us

[Celtics4ever]

I like his skill set and think he can be a real player in this league, but he may not fit our timeline, which is right now. If some team can use a defensive big with high upside, we may be able to upgrade NOW.

Maybe you did not notice the lack of big man depth this year?

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I absolutely love that Williams acted like he had been there before after he blocked Davis both times. He didn't go crazy. He's a pretty level-headed guy and seems confident.

[Walker Wiggle]

I was at the game last night and there were definitely some eye-popping moments. That first block on AD nearly brought the house down. In his post-game interview, too, people were cheering for him. You can tell Celtics fans really like what they see from this kid.

Watching the game you can also see that he's very eager to get the block, which can eat you alive in today's NBA. Hassan Whiteside is a great shot blocker, but there are plenty of better defenders out there. Williams will need to learn how to do everything -- body up, be in the right position in the pick and roll, switch onto guards, rotate to the right man, etc. -- if he's going to be a complete defender.

For those clamoring for him to get more minutes... With Yabusele on the shelf for a while with that ankle injury, you'll get your wish. Horford has a knee that needs some care, meaning that he'll have to be thrown in there regardless of what you think of him.

Lastly: Have people seen video of the Celtics working on his three-point stroke? His shooting motion is decent and his FT% in college was fine. Three years from now he could be really valuable as a guy who catches lobs in the pick and roll, plays disruptive defense, handles the ball a little at the top of the key, and even hits the occasional three.

[johnnygreen]

It is always fun to see young players, that are oozing with potential, getting playing time. Obviously Horford, Baynes, and Theis are ahead of him on the depth chart and should be getting the majority of the playing time, since this is a team with championship aspirations. However, I would like to see Williams get playing time if/when there are games that are well in hand in the second half of games. I see it as being an investment come playoff time, where he has the potential to be a valuable defender off the bench with six fouls.

[Hank Finkel]

I was at the game last night and there were definitely some eye-popping moments. That first block on AD nearly brought the house down. In his post-game interview, too, people were cheering for him. You can tell Celtics fans really like what they see from this kid.

Watching the game you can also see that he's very eager to get the block, which can eat you alive in today's NBA. Hassan Whiteside is a great shot blocker, but there are plenty of better defenders out there. Williams will need to learn how to do everything -- body up, be in the right position in the pick and roll, switch onto guards, rotate to the right man, etc. -- if he's going to be a complete defender.

For those clamoring for him to get more minutes... With Yabusele on the shelf for a while with that ankle injury, you'll get your wish. Horford has a knee that needs some care, meaning that he'll have to be thrown in there regardless of what you think of him.

Lastly: Have people seen video of the Celtics working on his three-point stroke? His shooting motion is decent and his FT% in college was fine. Three years from now he could be really valuable as a guy who catches lobs in the pick and roll, plays disruptive defense, handles the ball a little at the top of the key, and even hits the occasional three.

He is a work in progress (as we all know) but he didn’t look over whelmed out there in his first real extended minutes.  It’s nice just to see Williams in there and becoming part of the team.  The good thing is he is not needed this year and can develop without being under pressure to perform.  I believe he will be big for us in a year or so when this team starts to get older and DA has to make some tough changes in personnel. Speaking of DA, we have potenially 4 first round picks this year.  Who knows where they will land but you have to figure DA will hit on one or two and some young talent to grow with Williams.   

[Vermont Green]

What I have seen of Williams so far is impressive.  I think he could move past Baynes in the rotation pecking order before the end of the season.  Our big rotation is complicated after Horford who is clearly a starting level big.  Morris is playing great but is more of a swing.  I feel we are a little small with Morris and Horford as our primary bigs.  Baynes is plenty big but not that good.  Theis seems to be up and down.

I could see a line up of Irving-Hayward-Tatum-Williams-Horford used during games and being productive.  Williams is probably not quite ready for that at this point.  I guess I am saying a Williams-type of player with that group but with more experience.  Williams has good court awareness.  He runs the court, seems to know where to go, and I have seen him make some really good and quick passes. 

It is not like he is lost out there.  It is kind of like when the Patriots get a new receiver.  It takes a while for them to understand the entire playbook.  Williams does not have the whole playbook yet, on offense or defense.  But he is getting there.

[tarheelsxxiii]

With Yabu out for a while I'm guessing we will finally see more Robert Williams.

Or Horford and Baynes will get healthy quick and the bigs rotation will be Horford, Morris, Baynes, Theis Ojeleye and Williams will never see the floor

Tonight, Williams had 7 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 1 steal in 26 minutes against the best big in the game.

You mean the big that had 41 points tonight?

Although i don't agree with the exaggerations said about RW , in his defence DA can drop 41 on  anyone.

Sure he can, but as a projected defensive big, Williams isn't effective if he allows other Centers to score 14 points more than their per game average.  Especially if your role is to part-time anchor the best defense in the league.

[footey]

With Yabu out for a while I'm guessing we will finally see more Robert Williams.

Or Horford and Baynes will get healthy quick and the bigs rotation will be Horford, Morris, Baynes, Theis Ojeleye and Williams will never see the floor

Tonight, Williams had 7 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 1 steal in 26 minutes against the best big in the game.

You mean the big that had 41 points tonight?

Although i don't agree with the exaggerations said about RW , in his defence DA can drop 41 on  anyone.

Sure he can, but as a projected defensive big, Williams isn't effective if he allows other Centers to score 14 points more than their per game average.  Especially if your role is to part-time anchor the best defense in the league.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Williams and Theis (who also guarded him, by the way) had to stick with single coverage; that Holliday had an off night; that Mirotic didn't play most of the game. Yes Williams is young and makes mistakes. He tries to block shots too much.  He will learn.  But let's not chalk up Davis' 41 points on his back alone.

[furball]

according to Chris Forsberg's twitter...

How did Robert Williams fare, defensively, vs. Anthony Davis?

The NBA's tracking data had Williams defending Davis on a team-high 32 possessions (tied with Daniel Theis) and allowing 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting with 2 blocks (Theis allowed Davis 21 points on 8-of-13 FG)