REPORT: Knicks monitoring Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III

Timelord was traded to Portland last year but only played six games before a season-ending injury.

Everyone knows it by now: the New York Knicks would like to upgrade at the center position and have been looking for a potential backup big since the departure of Isiah Hartenstein.

Names like Walker Kessler and Nick Richards have consistently come up as targets for New York at different points this summer. Another name that has come up, albeit to a lesser degree, is Portland Trail Blazer’s Robert Williams III.

While his name hasn’t come up in rumors as much recently, Brian Windhorst of ESPN did mention the Knicks as one of the few teams that will likely be monitoring Williams his situation.

And it does make some sense.

Timelord, as he’s often referred to as, has flashed plenty of potential over his six-year career.

Williams is averaging 12.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per 36 minutes in his career, mostly spent in Boston before leaving Beantown prior to the C’s winning the title last season.

When at his best, he was an incredibly valuable asset for the Celtics and their playoff runs, being a high-energy, off-the-bench player who was a great rebounder and good rim protector. Given Tom Thibodeau’s ability to consistently get the most out of big men who can rebound and protect the rim, this could prove to be a match made in heaven.

But there is one major problem. The biggest concern surrounding RW3, much like it’s the case with Mitchell Robinson, has always been his health.

Over the last two seasons, Williams has played just 41 regular-season games. The big man has played more than 50 games just twice in his career following his debut in October 2018.

All things considered, trading for Williams would be a high-risk, high-reward move that could be of great value if he were to be able to stay healthy. But the Knicks are, or at least should be, looking for more insurance. That’d likely mean opting for a more consistent, safe, and less injury-prone option akin to the names aforementioned—your Richardses & Kesslers.