The Rockets should set a firm price in any Robert Williams III deal

The Houston Rockets have been linked to a lot of trade targets this year.

When a young team with surplus assets is overperforming, that's how it tends to be. The Rockets have stuff. They're on the cusp of title contention, and they have read to improve. Why not spend some stuff to improve on those areas?

That's simple, elegant logic - perhaps too elegant to apply to the real-world complexities of the NBA trade market. The Rockets have been rightfully mindful of how they use their assets. Anything they trade now is something that won't be available to trade later.

So, whispers about targets like De'Aaron Fox and Jimmy Butler were likely always based in falsehood. Lately, there have been murmurs about a more realistic target. The Rockets have been linked to Robert Williams III.

Should they invest in him?

Rockets' head coach may want reunion

Let's start with some basic facts.

Ime Udoka coached Williams III in Boston. Udoka is notoriously defensive-minded. It's safe to assume that he has at least some interest in bringing the defensively sound Williams III into the fold.

Alperen Sengiun is entrenched as the Rockets' starter. So, two pertinent questions emerge about Williams III:

Is he a significant enough improvement over the current backup (Steven Adams)? How much should a backup big man be worth to the Rockets?

Williams III would be upgrade for the Rockets

The answer to the first question is answered fairly simply:

Williams III is a meaningful upgrade over Adams.

In 2024-25, Williams III has a Box Plus/Minus (BPM) of 3.4. Adams sits at 0.2. That is a gulf.

Sure, there are caveats. Adams started the year slowly. He was evidently recovering from an injury. That said, Adams' career-best BPM is 2.9, and that was in 2019-20.

He's never been as impactful as Williams III has been this year. With that established, let's look at the second question. How much should the Rockets pay for a backup?

Especially a backup as injury-prone as Williams III?

Rockets can only afford marginal investment in Williams III

In a side-to-side comparison between Adams and Williams III, the Rockets' big man has one notable advantage:

He's played 29 games this year to Williams III's 15.

Rockets fans complained about Adams' availability throughout much of this year. Imagine how they'd feel about Williams III. He's played an average of 33 games a year in 8 NBA seasons, and he hasn't eclipsed that mark in the last three.

He's one of the most injury-prone players in the NBA.

So, should the Rockets acquire him? It depends on the price point. Portland may find that his injury history has destroyed his market. They could determine that a pair of second-round picks is better than nothing. In that case, sure, it's worth trading for Williams.

By contrast, the Blazers may not feel any pressing need to trade Williams III. He's on a team-friendly deal, and he has time to demonstrate improved durability. It feels more likely that Portland isn't looking to give him away.

If that's true, Houston should pass. They don't need Williams III at the expense of a first-round pick, or even a young player like Cam Whitmore.

If Portland drives a hard bargain, Williams III should be another target only linked to the Rockets in rumors.