Walker Kessler’s departure left the Jazz with a big hole to fill, and Robert Williams III has surfaced as one of the cleanest possible answers. Utah already chose to move forward with a center-by-committee approach, but that doesn’t mean the search for a true Kessler replacement is over.
For now, the Jazz don’t need to force the issue. They are not under pressure to make a win-now swing immediately, so there’s room to wait and see whether the right opportunity comes along. If Utah decides that adding another center would push the team closer to the title conversation, though, Williams fits the bill in a pretty obvious way.
The idea came up in The Ringer’s Michael Pina’s bold predictions, where he floated Utah as a possible landing spot for Williams and tied the fit to the injury to Jusuf Nurkic. Pina wrote:
"In light of Jusuf Nurkic’s injury, I would like to see Robert Williams III in Utah. Reunite Timelord with the Ainge family and give the Jazz a defensive inside presence whose passing ability tracks nicely with how Will Hardy-who was an assistant coach in Boston when Rob was its starting center-likes to invert the floor. Everybody wins!"
That pitch makes sense on the basketball side. Williams has had injury issues, but when he’s on the floor, he brings real value as a rim protector and a strong rebounder. He’s already shown he can make an All-Defense level impact, and his sweet spot could be something like 20 to 22 minutes a night - a role Utah might not need to go beyond anyway.
There’s no indication that Williams is definitely available, or that the Jazz are definitely pursuing him. But Portland does have a crowded center room, and Pina points out that if the season goes sideways there, Williams could become the odd man out regardless of how things unfold.
The trade mechanics, at least on paper, are workable too. Pina suggested Utah could send Nurkic and a couple of second-round picks to get Williams. Even that may not be necessary, because the Jazz have Josh Green, who makes more than Williams and does not appear to be part of Utah’s long-term plans, along with the $15.2 million Kessler trade exception that could absorb Williams’ $14 million salary this season.
Utah could even imagine a frontcourt pairing of Nurkic and Williams sharing the center minutes. On paper, that’s an interesting mix: two different looks, two different strengths, and a possible yin and yang dynamic.
None of it is guaranteed, and it all depends on Portland being willing to move on from Williams. But if the Jazz can make it happen, he looks like the kind of player who could change the shape of their season.
In Other News...
Jazz Take Opening Night Flier On Former First Round Guard
The Jazz have used their newly opened two-way slot on a familiar kind of low-risk swing, bringing in guard Kobe Bufkin as the team continues to sort out the bottom of its roster. In a corresponding move, Utah waived two-way forward Blake Hinson, making room for Bufkin after a winding start to his NBA journey that has already taken him through Atlanta, Brooklyn, Los Angeles and New Orleans.
Bufkin arrives in Utah with the profile of a former first-round guard still trying to carve out a steady role, which makes him an interesting fit for a team willing to take a long look at younger talent. For the Jazz, the move keeps the two-way spot in play for development purposes, and it adds another backcourt name to watch as the organization keeps building out its depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Roster Move Creates A Tough New Bubble Decision
The Jazz are making another small but meaningful shuffle to their back end, with Kobe Bufkin agreeing to a two-way contract after being waived by the Pelicans. For Utah, it is the kind of roster move that can look minor on paper but matters plenty in the long view, especially when the team is sorting out which young players deserve developmental runway and which spots have to be used to keep flexibility intact.
To make room, Utah is expected to waive forward Blake Hinson, leaving his future tied to whether he clears waivers and lands on the open market. Bufkin arrives with one season on his deal, his final year of two-way eligibility, which gives the Jazz a chance to take a look at another young guard while also forcing a familiar roster-choice squeeze at the bottom of the bench. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Suddenly Look Smart For Avoiding A Risky Kristaps Porzingis Move
Kristaps Porzingis has long been the kind of talent teams talk themselves into because the upside is obvious and the price can feel reasonable in the moment. Utah was among the clubs with interest in him before he landed with Boston, where he helped win a title, and the kind of frontcourt gamble he represented has never been more complicated in hindsight.
Now, with questions surrounding his long-term health and what his future even looks like on a basketball court, that missed opportunity looks a lot less like a swing and more like a case of restraint. If he keeps playing, the next version of Porzingis may be something closer to a selective, part-time fit than a full-time centerpiece, which would put teams like Utah back in the conversation for a very different kind of pursuit. [Read more 🡒]