Celtics Rumors: 'No Long-Term Concern' About Robert Williams' Knee Injury

While Boston Celtics big man Robert Williams III battled a knee injury during the team's run to the NBA Finals, he is reportedly on track to be healthy at the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

According to Brian Robb of Mass Live: "There is no long-term concern about his knee injury. No surgery was needed, so ample rest this summer should have him at 100 percent in camp."

The Celtics will likely be counting on Williams to assume more responsibility during the upcoming campaign.

After all, the team's biggest move in the offseason to this point came in the backcourt with the acquisition of Malcolm Brogdon, and Al Horford will be 36 years old throughout the season. Boston also signed Danilo Gallinari, but he is more likely to stretch the floor as a matchup problem for opposing forwards.

Williams figures to be the one banging down low for rebounds and protecting the rim, much like he did as a 2021-22 All-Defensive second-team selection.

The Texas A&M product averaged 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 73.6 percent from the field last season. Those were all career-best totals, and he's still just 24.

During the postseason, he missed the first two games against the Brooklyn Nets in the opening round and the final four games of the second-round showdown with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Williams has the potential to be the best rim-protector in the league in 2022-23 after opponents shot 11.2 percent worse than their normal averages when he was defending them within six feet of the basket last season, per NBA.com.

Having him healthy is the first step toward ensuring he can live up to that potential, and it has apparently been nothing but good news on that front this offseason.