Boston Celtics: Robert Williams is contract extension eligible after the season

The Boston Celtics always knew they had an ace or a wildcard in their back pocket in regards to Robert Williams. Due to Williams’ lengthy injury history, his playing status has always been up in the air. However, his amazing potential and upside have always been noticed and respected by the Celtics. After patiently waiting since 2018, Boston is finally experiencing what it’s like having Williams explode onto the scene as a playoff threat.

Although Williams didn’t get the start in Boston’s opening playoff game on Saturday night, he played as if he was the best player on the court against the highly talented Brooklyn Nets. Williams played so well that he almost earned the first triple-double of his career with 11 points, nine rebounds, and an outstanding nine blocks in the game; four of which came in the first half. In doing so, Williams set the playoff franchise record for the most blocks in a game in Boston Celtics history with nine.

Robert Williams could be the center of the future for the Boston Celtics. He is eligible for a contract extension after the season.

With Williams on the court, the Celtics have a game-changing identity on the defensive end. In fact, per NBA’s tracking data, the Nets fared 1-13 shooting, 0-4 on 3-pointers, and committed two turnovers in the first game of the series when being defended by Williams. The defensive abilities of Williams have always been the best feature of his game. Furthermore, prior to being drafted in 2018, Williams was a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year at Texas A&M.

Williams is elite on defense. However, the only real flaw in his defensive game is his inability to box out opposing team’s big men. He did it multiple times in game one of the playoffs and it resulted in easy baskets for the Nets. This was once a major issue that has since decreased throughout Williams becoming more established in the NBA over the last three years. In the offseason, it would be ideal for Williams to get stronger while improving his footwork and in-game awareness while maneuvering around the court.

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If Williams can develop a mid-range jumper, he will be the entire package for the Boston Celtics. It’s worth mentioning that Williams is eligible for a contract extension after this season. Considering his increased development, and the way he produced in game one in the playoffs against the Nets, there’s a chance that the negotiations could be more challenging than one would expect. Yes, he’s injury-prone, but the athleticism, potential, and upside of Williams is too hard to pass on.

Should Boston believe Williams can be the center of their future, then there should be no hesitation to sign him to a long-term contract. The thing is, he’s been unavailable more often than not, leaving the Celtics in limbo regarding his durability and reliability for the course of a full season. However, with two superstar-caliber franchise players entering their new deals in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and with an All-Star worthy guard in Kemba Walker, the Celtics have their core foundation in place. The next piece needed is a dominant center.

That said, it’s looking like Boston will be over the luxury tax for the next few years between Tatum, Brown, and Walker. And that’s before even suggesting they bring back and sign a veteran like Evan Fournier. All of these contracts will eventually put the Celtics in a hard spot, but that’s the price it takes to build a champion team. They have all of the other pieces essentially in place, besides the center position.

The Boston Celtics should solidify the position with Williams, a player they drafted and invested a vast amount of time into developing.