Sports Q: Will Robert Williams be a big contributor to the Celtics next season?
Discuss how far Williams is from becoming an impact player in the NBA with Chad Finn and other Celtics fans.
Welcome to Boston.com’s Sports Q, our daily conversation, initiated by you and moderated by Chad Finn, about a compelling topic in Boston sports. Here’s how it works: You submit questions to Chad through Twitter, Facebook, and email. He’ll pick one each weekday to answer, then we’ll take the discussion to the comments. Chad will stop by several times per day to navigate. But you drive the conversation.
What are the chances that Robert Williams is the player nobody is talking about who takes a big leap forward next year? He flashed a little bit last year, has the size and athleticism, but perhaps lacks maturity. Between him splitting time between Boston and Maine, I assume you have a pretty good idea. – Erik W.
It’s funny, Williams actually played more minutes with the Celtics varsity last year (283) than he did with the Red Claws (126). He played just five games for Maine all season. It seemed like every time he was slated to, something happened (injury, illness, maybe a wrong turn at the Biddeford exit) that prevented it.
That’s a roundabout way of saying I don’t expect much from him this year. You can see the raw talent every time he’s on the court – he’s a highlight-reel dunker and shot-blocker already. He would have been a first-team All-Garbage Time selection as a rookie.
It’s when his feet are on the parquet that it really becomes clear that there’s a lot of work to be done. He was absolutely lost on pick-and-roll defense, and offensively when he got the ball he was mechanical, especially when his back was to the basket. He really doesn’t have any moves yet.
That’s actually fine for now – if he figures out where he’s supposed to be and what he’s supposed to do on D, he’ll contribute even if he’s a non-factor on offense. But he’s probably a year or two away from making significant strides toward fulfilling all of that potential. I mean, he was really lost on defense.
Hopefully he’s working on all of this this summer. Too bad Al Horford isn’t around to show him the way on how to be a pro.
And, of course, there’s always the chance he’ll be traded. It feels like the Celtics have one more big move coming beyond presumably signing Kemba Walker, doesn’t it?
What does everyone else think? What are your expectations for Robert Williams next season? I’ll hear you in the comments.
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