Celtics walking cautious path with rookie Rob Williams - heading to G-League


No major surprise here, but Celtics Rookie Robert Williams will be spending a lot of time with the team's G-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. I view this as an absolute plus for all parties concerned.


Rob is still dealing with knee tendinitis, and going to the G-League means he can display his talents and not be glued to the bench, all while monitoring the reactions of his knees to his work on the court. The Celtics are loaded in their first two units and have no need to press Williams into service right away. That may not have been the case had he been drafted as a lottery pick by a weaker team. We know that rookies usually say all the right things to the press, but here is Rob's reaction to the news of his upcoming G-League stint (per MassLive's Tom Westerholm):

So is rookie Robert Williams -- who is likely to feel the team's minutes crunch, despite his promising athleticism -- open to a trip to Portland?

"Hell yeah," Williams said. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"If I can help this organization -- Celtics, Red Claws -- I'm with it," he said.

Danny Ainge addressed the issue, and it all makes sense. Via MassLive's Tom Westerholm, here is what Danny had to say:

He has some tendinitis issues, so we want to really get those right. He played throughout his college career with much more pain than he has now, so he's making great strides -- has made great strides already. But we'd just like to make sure it's long lasting and that he develops the strength. So that's going to be a priority for us, his health. And then obviously once we get him really healthy, then we'll get him as much experience as we can, either here or in Portland.


All of last season, I never profiled this kid in my writing simply because I felt Boston would have no shot at drafting him. When he fell to the Celtics towards the end of the first round, I was astounded - and delighted. Taking a cautious route with Williams is best for both Robert and the team - and Boston has the talent to walk that path.

Follow Tom at @TomLaneHC

Photo via Faith Ninivaggi/Boston Herald
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