Another Season Lost! Robert Williams' Brutal Injury Woes: Can He Still Prove Himself?

Another Devastating Setback: Robert Williams III's Season is Over

The Portland Trail Blazers have officially announced that center Robert Williams III underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to address ongoing inflammation. The expected recovery timeline is 4-6 weeks, but with less than a month left in the regular season, it’s safe to say his year is over.

For those keeping count, this marks yet another season-ending injury for Williams.

Last year, he played just six games before suffering a torn right knee ligament, ending his first season with the Blazers almost as soon as it started.

This season, he managed to play in 20 games before knee troubles and a hamstring strain sidelined him again. His averages? 5.8 points, 5.9 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game—his lowest production since 2020.

Go back one more season (2022-23), and it’s the same story—just 35 games played due to knee injuries in his final year with the Boston Celtics.

The math is brutal: over the past three years, Robert Williams has played in just 61 total games.

That’s a full season’s worth of games—spread across three years.

The Harsh Reality: Can a "What-If" Player Ever Prove Himself?

When healthy, Williams is a game-changer.

Standing 6'9" (2.06m) with a 7'6" wingspan, he’s an elite athlete, capable of throwing down vicious alley-oops and locking down opponents in the paint.

He first made his mark in the 2020-21 season, emerging as a highly impactful rim protector and lob threat for the Celtics.

2020-21 Season: The Breakout Year

• 8.0 PPG | 6.9 RPG | 1.8 APG | 1.8 BPG | 72.1 FG%

• Per 36 Minutes: 15.2 PPG | 13.1 RPG | 3.4 APG | 3.3 BPG

Despite playing only 18.9 minutes per game, Williams showcased elite per-minute production, flashing All-Defensive Team potential.

Recognizing his upside, the Celtics rewarded him with a 4-year, $54M contract extension—a deal that initially looked like an absolute steal.

But then, the injuries began piling up.

2021-22: The Peak Before the Fall

If there was ever a season that captured how dominant a healthy Robert Williams could be, it was 2021-22.

• 61 games played (career-high), all starts

• 10.0 PPG | 9.6 RPG | 2.0 APG | 2.2 BPG | 73.6 FG%

• Anchored the Celtics’ league-best defense

• Helped Boston reach the NBA Finals

In the 2022 playoffs, he played through a torn meniscus, returning early and requiring pain injections just to stay on the court.

His impact in the NBA Finals against the Warriors was undeniable:

• 17 total blocks in six games (2.8 BPG)

• 9.3 RPG & 8.8 PPG in just 23.2 MPG

• +30 total plus-minus (best among Celtics rotation players)

He blocked Steph Curry's high-arcing floaters and shut down Draymond Green and Kevon Looney in the paint. Even Curry himself acknowledged his dominance:

“Robert Williams is the reason their defense is so great. No matter where he is, he always finds a way to be around you.”

But that warrior-like effort may have cost him his career longevity.

Since those playoffs, he’s never been the same.

A Career in Free Fall: Three Years, 61 Games

After 2021-22, the injuries kept coming:

2022-23 (Final Year in Boston)

• 35 games played (knee issues)

2023-24 (Traded to Portland, Torn Knee Ligament)

• 6 games played

2024-25 (Knee & Hamstring Issues, Now Out for Season)

• 20 games played

Even for an injury-prone player, this is extreme.

For context:

• In the past three seasons, Nikola Jokic has played 231 games.

• Even Kawhi Leonard—famous for "load management"—has played 121 games.

• Robert Williams? 61.

There’s no other way to put it:

• If he can’t stay healthy, his career will be over before he turns 30.

Why Boston Had No Choice But to Move On

Boston believed in Williams, but they eventually had to make a cold, calculated decision.

Trading him to Portland in the Jrue Holiday deal wasn’t about a lack of faith in his talent. It was about the harsh reality of availability.

Williams' departure helped bring in Jrue Holiday, who immediately became a crucial piece in Boston’s 2024 championship run.

It was the right move.

And ironically, at the 2024 trade deadline, the Lakers explored trading for Williams—but wisely backed off.

Why?

• Portland's asking price was too high

• Williams' injury history was too risky

Sure, the idea of Robert Williams catching lobs from Luka Dončić in Los Angeles sounds incredible.

But when a player has only played 26 games in two seasons, how can a team trust him?

What’s Next? The Harsh Future of an Injury-Prone Big

Williams is still only 27 years old.

But his injury history resembles that of a 35-year-old veteran.

Next season, he enters the final year of his contract—a make-or-break year.

If he stays healthy, he could secure one more solid contract.

But if his knee problems persist, it’s hard to see teams offering him anything beyond a minimum deal.

And if he can’t stay healthy at all?

It wouldn’t be surprising if his NBA career is over by 2026.

Final Thoughts: A Career Hanging by a Thread

In an alternate universe, Robert Williams is a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, dominating the paint for a contender.

Instead, he’s become one of the biggest "What-If" stories in recent memory.

For now, all we can do is hope that his knees give him one last chance—because time is running out.