Boston Celtics heart Robert Williams III had one other process on the identical knee he suffered a torn meniscus.
With veteran ahead Danilo Gallinari already out for the common season or longer, Boston’s frontcourt is disturbingly skinny by way of confirmed depth.
Pundits are already debating how this might influence the remainder of the offseason.
The hosts of the CLNS Media “Backyard Report” acquired collectively as quickly because the dangerous information began making the rounds on Tuesday afternoon and talked by means of the way it may change the Celtics’ offseason plans.
Williams initially suffered the harm throughout a victory towards the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 27.
He and the group weighed a number of surgical choices, selecting eradicating the cartilage’s torn portion.
That surgical procedure allowed Williams to return prior to anticipated.
He got here off the bench in Sport 3 of the Celtics’ first-round playoff sequence towards the Brooklyn Nets on April 23, lower than 4 weeks from the harm.
Williams performed Boston’s subsequent 5 video games, returning to the beginning lineup, earlier than struggling a bone bruise in the identical knee throughout Sport 3 of the Japanese Convention semifinals.
He missed the ultimate 4 video games of the Milwaukee Bucks sequence, solely to return for Sport 1 of the convention finals.
Williams missed only one extra recreation within the playoffs, regardless of a collision between his knee and teammate Marcus Good in Sport 2 of the Finals.
Ought to Williams not return in 4 weeks, Boston will start this coming common season on Oct. 18 with a shallow frontcourt.
The Celtics traded reserve heart Daniel Theis to the Indiana Pacers within the deal for guard Malcolm Brogdon over the summer season.
The 36-year-old Horford began at energy ahead final season and cut up his 29 minutes per recreation with stints at heart.
Luke Kornet is the one different heart on the roster with a assured wage on his NBA contract.
Grant Williams can play up a place, though the Celtics averted enjoying him important minutes at heart.
Two-way signee Mfiondu Kabengele and coaching camp invitee Noah Vonleh, each former lottery picks, will see an elevated alternative to earn enjoying time early for Boston, the league’s preseason title favourite.
Extra regarding is the long-term influence for Williams. He fell to the twenty seventh decide within the 2018 NBA draft on account of issues concerning the potential for continual accidents to each of his knees.
The Celtics have been cautious with Williams early in his profession, holding him to fewer than 20 minutes per recreation for his first three seasons, when he averaged 38 appearances a 12 months.
His workload elevated to half-hour per recreation this season, leading to career-high averages of 10 factors, 9.6 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and two assists, however he limped to the end.
Robert Williams III is getting into the primary season of a four-year, $48 million contract extension he signed in August 2021.
