Robert Williams is headed back to Portland on a three-year, $44 million deal, according to agent Kevin Bradbury of LIFT Sports Management, who told Shams Charania of ESPN.
The move keeps one of the Blazers’ most useful big men in place after a season in which the 28-year-old center finally stayed on the floor enough to make a real impact. Williams played 59 games, averaging 6.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 17.1 minutes per night. He gave Portland steady backup minutes behind Donovan Clingan and helped the team during its surprise run to the playoffs.
Williams had been seeking a deal worth about $15 million per year, and this new contract gets him close to that number while keeping him in Portland. A source told Jason Quick of The Athletic that Williams contacted team officials over the past 24 hours to make clear he wanted to return, saying he likes where the Blazers are headed and wants to play for new head coach Micah Nori. Portland initially did not think it could afford to keep him, but the two sides found common ground.
His decision also takes a notable center off the market just as free agency is set to open later today. Teams such as the Lakers, Celtics, Nets and Pelicans that are hunting for help in the middle now have one fewer option to chase.
The contract leaves the Blazers about $14 million below the luxury tax line, according to Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron. That gives Portland room to use most of its $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception on another free agent without crossing into tax territory. The team also still has the $5.5 million biannual exception and two small trade exceptions available.
Portland may not be done adding up front. On Monday, the Blazers agreed to send Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis in the Ja Morant trade, which leaves them with a crowded backcourt and openings on the front line. That situation may have made bringing Williams back even more important.
In Other News...
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For the Trail Blazers, the appeal is obvious any time Browns name comes up, because he remains one of the bigger prizes in the rumor mill and Portland has been linked to him before. Lowe was skeptical the Kings would actually part with that much draft equity, which is exactly why these discussions stay in the realm of intrigue rather than action for now, even as they keep nudging Portland back into the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Pulled Into The Biggest Superstar Rumor Yet
The NBA rumor mill has turned into a full-blown reshuffling as free agency opens, and the Trail Blazers have already landed in the middle of it. A stunning deal sent Ja Morant to Portland, giving the Blazers a chance to reset around a high-end talent while also moving pieces that had become harder to fit into their long-term picture.
For Portland, the move signals a willingness to be aggressive rather than stay stuck in the middle, especially with a roster still taking shape after a season of change. Around the league, the fallout from LeBron James leaving the Lakers and Jalen Duren weighing his future is only adding more pressure to teams trying to map out their next move, and the Blazers may not be done making noise before the market settles. [Read more 🡒]