The Milwaukee Bucks currently rank 23rd in opponent points per game, remaining consistent with the defensive issues that led to the dismissal of Adrian Griffin last season. Even further illustrating the defensive issues the Bucks currently have is their troubling 1-6 start this year.
Despite the Bucks losing their last two games to the Cleveland Cavaliers by a combined three points, they haven't improved on defense, in fact, the Bucks have given up over 110 points every game since the season opener, when they allowed 109 to the Joel Embiid and Paul George-less 76ers.
As they aim to fix these issues, the Milwaukee Bucks could do the funniest thing: take a page out of the Boston Celtics' book. The Milwaukee Bucks could grab a player that the Celtics used to acquire Jrue Holiday after the Bucks sent him to the Blazers in the Damian Lillard trade.
Bobby Portis is among four of the likeliest Milwaukee Bucks who could be dealt before this season's NBA Trade Deadline. If the Bucks move him, perhaps one name they may have some interest in is Robert Williams.
The mock trade between the Bucks and Blazers
The Milwaukee Bucks could grab the former Celtics big man in an attempt to improve their defensive standing. Robert Williams could also bring some athleticism to the Bucks' second unit as well.
Looking at the size difference, Bobby Portis is 6-foot-10, 250 pounds, and Robert Williams is 6-foot-9, 237 pounds, so the Bucks wouldn't be giving up much size behind Brook Lopez.
The trade-off becomes Bobby Portis' offense for Robert Williams' defense. Bobby Portis has been a Sixth Man of the Year candidate multiple times and has given the Milwaukee Bucks an offensive boost off the bench since arriving in Milwaukee.
Bobby Portis has averaged 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds for the Bucks while shooting 40.0 percent from the 3-point line since his arrival.
Robert Williams isn't known for his offense but did finish seventh in Defensive Player of the Year in 2021-22. That was a few years ago, but in the past two seasons, Williams has only played in just 41 games due to injuries. That's where the two second-round picks come in to help hedge the Bucks's bets should Williams end up missing more time due to injury.
What the Milwaukee Bucks would miss is Bobby Portis' 3-point shooting. Robert Williams has attempted just four 3-pointers in his entire career, and none have gone in, so he'll be strictly an interior option offensively.
Something Robert Williams III could bring to the Bucks' offense is pick-and-roll value. Going back to the 2021-22 season, his last nearly full season, Williams didn't run the pick and roll a ton in Boston that season, just 15.2 percent of the time. However, when the Celtics did run the pick-and-roll with Williams as the roll man, it was quite efficient, resulting in scores on 68.1 percent of those plays.
Over his career, Robert Williams III has averaged 7.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. In the previously mentioned 2021-22 season, when Williams was seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting, he averaged 2.2 blocks in 29.6 minutes per game across 61 contests. Williams' defensive field goal percentage that season was a very low 40.2 percent.
Would the Portland Trail Blazers be willing to trade Robert Williams III?
According to the Portland Trail Blazers' P/R team, Robert Williams was available to play in their game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Blazers entered the fourth quarter down by three points, and Robert Williams hadn't checked in yet. The Blazers went on to outscore the Pelicans 39-18 in the fourth and win by 18 points, and no point in that fourth quarter did Williams see the floor.
If the Trail Blazers finally have Robert Williams III healthy, why keep him around just for him not to play any minutes? The Blazers could send him and a couple of second-rounders over to the Bucks for a more seasoned player in Bobby Portis, who could inject some energy into their offense and fanbase.
If the Milwaukee Bucks want to work on fixing their defense, this could be worth considering.