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Danny Ainge made his weekly radio appearance, and it in it, he shared two very important nuggets. For starters, Robert Williams III could finally return to game action for the first time since December 6th this weekend, and if not this weekend, early next week. Second, the Celtics probably will not make any moves for a buyout candidate ahead of the deadline for playoff roster inclusion unless they find someone who really helps the team.
Danny Ainge on @Toucherandrich says Robert Williams could be as early as this weekend or shortly thereafter. Williams was supposed to get a final scan on his hip soon to make sure there’s been no setback.
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) February 27, 2020
As for the Robert Williams news, it’s great news, actually. The Boston Celtics will take on the ultra-small Houston Rockets on Saturday, and that’s certainly a matchup that could use a dose of Robert Williams. As the team’s most energetic big, Williams could help a Boston team that’ll look to exploit Houston’s size with speed and agility in a way that Enes Kanter simply cannot. If Williams can’t go this week, look for him to make an appearance early next week – perhaps against the Brooklyn Nets.
Danny Ainge on @Toucherandrich:
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 27, 2020
"If we see a move that will help us, we'll do it" when asked about the buyout market. Ainge added "Fans might be too hung up on what familiar names did in the past."
As I've been saying for a while now: a lot of guys are more name than game.
Williams’ return might have the same impact as a new buyout addition, and for that reason, Danny Ainge isn’t in a rush to add just any name to the roster. Speaking of names, that last line about name recognition being a major push for fans is very interesting. While often, the reason for a buyout is contractual, there are other reasons why a teams buy out these seemingly incredibly useful players in the middle of the season.
The Celtics have more youth than they’ll know what to do with this summer, but it’s probably too soon to waive any of them for the addition of a buyout candidate who will certainly want minutes as the playoffs approach. Boston’s 8-man rotation is really solid right now, and adding someone else to the mix could disrupt that. Instead, the team can choose to capitalize on the chemistry they’ve already built and relish the addition of another dynamic big (Timelord) who already knows the system.
After all, buyout candidates rarely have a major impact on championship-level teams.