According to multiple reports, Robert Williams will undergo an arthroscopic procedure to clean up his left knee this week. This is the same knee where Williams tore his meniscus before the start of the playoffs. Williams had been experiencing some discomfort during workouts this month and decided to get the procedure.
The initial timeline for a return is 4-6 weeks, which means Williams will miss most, if not all, of training camp and likely part of the regular season.
Karalis’ take:
On the one hand, a procedure like this after a meniscus tear isn't uncommon. Coming back quickly after a meniscus procedure and then experiencing the swelling he had been dealing with could lead to fraying and a buildup of scar tissue.
One sports doctor I spoke to told me that it’s possible Williams wanted to try to avoid another surgery if possible, and that despite inopportune timing, it became clear that a cleanup was necessary. This surgery is being characterized as a cleanup procedure, which is not uncommon in these situations.
However, there is a worst-case scenario where Williams actually has something degenerative going on in that knee and the cleanup is part of a plan to manage that. At this point, without the medical records in front of us, it’s impossible to know what the situation really is.
In all likelihood, it’s mostly a common cleanup aimed at making sure Williams is 100% whenever he returns. And even though it’s frustrating for fans, I’d rather make sure Williams is pain-free when the season starts.
It’s pretty clear with Williams that nagging things can start to cascade with his body. A sore left knee could turn into a right leg injury or tightness in his back in no time because of overcompensation. There's a risk of creating another problem by trying to gut through this one.
Williams still puts a ton of pressure on his joints with the way he plays. He can rocket himself into the air for spectacular blocks and dunks, but it can lead to some awkward-looking landings. Williams needs to be fully healthy so he can absorb the stuff he puts his body through.
He can also benefit from a better approach to the game where he uses the threat of himself as a shot blocker to be a deterrent. Causing a player to veer off and reset the play qualifies as rim protection.
Williams is too important to this team’s future to take a chance on his knee right now. Get it cleaned up and get back on the floor at 100%. Even if he misses six weeks, he’ll only miss about 6-10 games.
In the meantime, Boston’s decision to go with Luke Kornet as the third big will be tested immediately. The team has expressed confidence in him in this role, and he’ll be thrust into the competition for at least some of Williams’ minutes right away.
Mfiondu Kabengele will also get a shot at filling some of that role. He could be an interesting candidate because his game matches Williams’ most closely, so the Celtics could try sliding him in and hope he becomes a poor man’s Williams. It’s not out of the question to think the threat of lobs to Kabengele could be enough to muddle through a few early October and November games.
The biggest beneficiary might be Noah Vonleh (Bruno Caboclo was just waived). With Williams missing all of camp, there will be chances for a fringe guy to make some noise and stake some claim to meaningful minutes. He could force Ime Udoka to alter his rotation by seizing the opportunity presented over the next month. If he can get a chance and show something that works for the Celtics, then they could hold onto that role when Williams gets back.
I think this is probably a plain ol’ scope to clean out some scar tissue, but because it’s Robert Williams, things become a little more complicated. In the end, however, if this is what it seems to be, then Williams’ missed time will be a distant memory by the time Christmas rolls around.