Adrian WojnarowskiSenior NBA Insider November 6, 2023, 6:19 PM ET2 minute read
Robert Williams III is out with a knee injury
Robert Williams III falls while blocking a shot from Jaren Jackson Jr. and leaves the game with an apparent knee injury.
Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III will undergo right knee surgery and is expected to be sidelined for an extended period of time, sources told ESPN on Monday.
Doctors and Williams’ agent Kevin Bradbury of Lift Sports Management are working to gather information and discuss the type of surgery that will be necessary and how long recovery will take, sources said.
Williams injured his knee in Sunday night’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies and underwent imaging on Monday.
Williams arrived in September as part of the Jrue Holiday trade with the Boston Celtics and had been a trade target for a number of teams hoping the Blazers would consider a move before the February trade deadline.
Portland paired Deandre Ayton with Williams, who came from Phoenix as part of the Damian Lillard trade.
The 26-year-old Williams has proven to be one of the league’s elite rim protectors and leads the NBA in field goal percentage allowed. He is the tightest defender among players who can stop 1,000 shots per Second Spectrum.
Williams missed the start of the 2022-2023 season for the Celtics after undergoing offseason surgery on his left knee. He also tore the meniscus in his left knee in March 2022.
Williams was a second-team All-NBA defensive selection in 2022 and had his best season that year as the Celtics made it to the NBA Finals. He started 61 games, averaging 10 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks per game.