The Portland Trailblazers' frontcourt took a hit as backup centre Robert Williams III is set to have season-ending knee surgery, as reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday.
The 26-year-old suffered damage to his knee and its surrounding ligaments against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
Williams III was acquired by Portland in the off-season in a deal with the Boston Celtics centered around guard Jrue Holiday. Considered one of the NBA's elite rim protectors (102.6 defensive rating this season), many considered the big man a name to keep an eye on come the trade deadline in February.
The six-foot-nine, sixth-year player had played in six of his team's seven games to that point and was averaging 6.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in nearly 20 minutes of action.
Williams III is expected to be fully recovered in time for the 2024-25 season per ESPN's sources.
