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Celtics could reunite with $42 million former DPOY candidate, NBA Finals force originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics will return to the drawing board after blowing a 3-1 series lead to Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Embiid reminded the sports world of his dominance when healthy in the painted area throughout the series, averaging 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in 4 appearances.
Boston's frontcourt looked helpless at times against the league's 2023 MVP, but free agency could bring about the opportunity to revamp their interior defense and reunite with a former star role player on the NBA Finals stage.
In fact, ESPN's Bobby Marks suggests that the Celtics should aim to rekindle their relationship with Portland Trail Blazers center and formidable two-way presence, Robert Williams, by signing him to an extremely team-friendly 3-year, $42 million deal this offseason.
"The first year of $13.3 million is guaranteed, but the second and third have no salary protection," Marks wrote Friday morning.
"If Williams plays more than 50 games next season, his salary in 2027-28 would become guaranteed. The same protection applies to the 2028-29 season, but Williams has to reach 50 games in 2027-28 to qualify."
"In eight NBA seasons, Williams has played more than 59 games twice -- this season and in 2021-22 with the Boston Celtics."
Though his contract would come with an important stipulation, it might be worth a shot to bring in a familiar shot-blocking presence who has already proven to be incredibly effective on the game's biggest stage.
The 28-year-old Williams enjoyed his magnum opus campaign with the Celtics during their run to the 2022 NBA Finals. He contributed 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots in 61 games during the regular season, earning an All-Defensive Second Team selection and placing 7th in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
When the 2022 NBA Finals came around, Williams further proved his worth by averaging 7.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks on a 76.9% field goal percentage in 6 games against Stephen Curry and the eventual champion Golden State Warriors.
Williams' post-Celtics career has been marred by lower-body injuries, but a resurgent 2025-26 campaign could put him right back on the map at the perfect time for a Boston group looking to add another rim-deterrent.
He appeared in 59 games past year, his most since that electrifying 2022 season with Boston, contributing 6.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in only 17.1 minutes of action. Evidence of a developing outside jump-shot was also discovered after he nailed 39.1% of his 0.4 attempts from three-point range, possibly making him even more attractive for a Celtics team well-known for living and dying by the three-ball.
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