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The 2026 NBA Draft is a little over 24 hours away, and many teams are abuzz, trying to make deals in the hours before, or during the event. The Boston Celtics are no exception, as they try to navigate a way to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
However, he’s not their sole target this offseason. The C’s are looking for multiple guys to get, and one target could result in a possible reunion. That would be signing former Celtics All-Defensive center, Robert Williams III.
The Time Lord was a fan-favorite
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Williams, nicknamed “The Time Lord” for showing up late to his introductory rookie press conference and missing his flight to Boston, was a fan favorite in Boston. While injury prone, he was gritty, and a defensive wall.
With Boston, he averaged 7.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.7 blocks in 20.5 minutes per game.
Williams has upgraded his game
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Williams was part of a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers for Jrue Holiday back in 2023, and since then, he’s upgraded his game. While he’s become a bench piece and played less because of injury, he’s improved one thing Boston would like: his shooting from the arc.
With Portland, he’s averaging 6.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, one assist, and 1.5 blocks in 17.4 minutes per game. However, just this past year, he found his three point shot. He shot 9-23 from the field, making him hit 39% from beyond the arc.
Williams could complete Boston’s center depth
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Right now, the Celtics have two centers: Neemias Queta and Luka Garza. While Garza is a good third string, the Celtics would like to have a solid second string to back up Queta.
Enter Williams. With his new shooting ability, Williams could work right into the Celtics playstyle. He could even compete with Queta for the starting job, if he can prove he’s healthy.
Even if Boston trades for Giannis, looking into getting Williams should be on their radar.
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