Kristaps Porzingis is the member of the Boston Celtics’ 2023-24 roster who received the biggest year-to-year boost in CBS Sports top 100 player list.
But another Celtics big man is on the opposite end of that equation. Robert Williams III had one of the list’s largest drops, according to CBS Sports’ Jasmyn Wimbush. He fell 38 spots on what is one of the crown jewels of the annual late offseason exercise that has become #RankingSeason.
“When Williams is fully healthy, he’s proven to be among the best rim protectors in the league, as evidenced from his 2.2 blocks a game during the 2021-22 season,” Wimbish wrote.
“He’s an aggressive offensive rebounder and is an effective cutter which often creates lob opportunities for the big man. But in a game that is always evolving, it’s extremely important to evolve with it.”
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“Outside of catching lobs or rolling to the rim for a bucket, Williams’ offensive game is rather limited, and on a team with championship aspirations like the Celtics, you constantly have to prove you’re valuable to that goal,” they note. “There’s also the matter of his health, which has always been a sticking point.”
“If he’s hampered again this season or doesn’t seamlessly fit into a Boston offense that is clearly signaling toward spacing the floor even more with its trade to land Porzingis, then he could be a potential trade target.”
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