Portland Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III to Undergo Season-Ending Knee Surgery
Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III will be required to undergo season-ending right knee surgery after suffering damage to the kneecap and ligaments in a recent game against the Memphis Grizzlies, sources told ESPN on Friday. The 26-year-old is expected to be fully recovered for the start of the 2024-25 season, and he is scheduled to undergo the procedure early next week.
Williams, who arrived as part of the Jrue Holiday trade with the Boston Celtics in September, had been a trade target of several teams before the February trade deadline. He has been playing alongside Deandre Ayton, who arrived from Phoenix as part of the Damian Lillard trade.
The center has proven himself to be one of the league’s elite rim protectors, leading the NBA in field goal percentage allowed as the closest defender among players to defend 1,000 shots, per Second Spectrum. However, this is not the first time Williams has dealt with knee issues, as he missed the start of the 2022-23 season for the Celtics after undergoing offseason surgery on his left knee and tearing the meniscus in his left knee in March 2022.
Williams had his best NBA season in 2021-22, earning a second-team All-NBA defensive selection as the Celtics made a run to the NBA Finals. He started 61 games, averaging 10 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks a game.
The news of Williams’ season-ending surgery is a setback for the Trail Blazers, but they remain optimistic about his full recovery and his future contributions to the team.