With the Lakers needing some depth in the center position, Robert Williams III is a player they are reportedly targeting.
With Christian Wood yet to play this season and Jaxson Hayes out with an ankle sprain, the Lakers lack available backup bigs.
The injury situation and overall quality of center options are a big reason why the rumor mill has the Lakers searching for a big via the trade market.
In Jake Fisher's most recent piece for The Stein Line, he discussed Blazers center Robert Williams III as a player the Lakers could be targeting.
“If it’s not Valanciunas, Portland’s Robert Williams III stands as perhaps the most coveted center on this season’s trade market. He’s another player on the Lakers’ wishlist of bigs and renowned for his defensive presence.
And because Williams is only in Year 3 of a four-year, $48 million deal, there’s been ongoing inbound interest for Portland to navigate despite Williams’ considerable injury history. Sources say that the Blazers, however, aren’t eager to part ways with Williams just yet.”
Jonas Valančiūnas is a name we have already heard connected with the Lakers and this isn’t the first time we’ve heard about L.A.’s interest in Williams.
The Lakers' interest in Williams makes sense. The Blazers' big man provides good scoring and rim protection. Williams averages 9.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game.
Now, Williams hasn't had the cleanest bill of health in his career. As a Boston Celtic, he had two left knee surgeries and has played less than 36 games in a season the past three years.
He missed the first nine games of the season due to a grade one hamstring strain and has recently returned after missing a few weeks of games going through the concussion protocol.
Still, with the Lakers lacking size and Williams being young and on a team-friendly deal, it makes him an intriguing player.
With this report signaling that the Blazers might not be willing to move him, perhaps Williams is a player of interest but not one the Lakers can easily acquire.
One thing has remained clear: the Lakers can't significantly improve without trading for a center or a guard to address their depth issues.
The last Lakers trade was almost exactly 18 months ago on Jun. 23, 2023, in a deal that brought Maxwell Lewis to Los Angeles. Since then, the Lakers have had largely the same personnel and have gotten similar results in back-to-back years.
Whether it's a deal to acquire Williams, Valanciunas, or a player none of us can see coming, a change has to happen if winning is the goal.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.
