One Veteran Free Agent Utah Jazz Should Sign After the NBA Draft

The Utah Jazz have checked off the first box from their offseason with the conclusion of the 2026 NBA Draft––one where they were able to land one of the biggest fish in this year's class with Kansas guard Darryn Peterson at No. 2 overall.

But the work is far from over for the Jazz to get to where they want to be. With free agency right on the horizon starting next week, there's ample opportunity for Utah to bring in one or two more impactful additions to their roster for next year, especially so with their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to utilize.

There's several names that the Jazz could look towards. But one area of the roster that might be a priority to target could be their center position.

Utah currently has zero centers signed onto their active roster, and while Walker Kessler feels likely to come back onboard with a contract to be determined, guys like Jusuf Nurkic and Kevin Love aren't exactly locks to return.

If the Jazz do end up losing out on a guy like Nurkic, one player that should be on the front office's radar is none other than Portland Trail Blazers big man Robert Williams III, who fits a lot of what Utah could use in their frontcourt and in their second unit.

Why Robert Williams III Could Make Sense for the Jazz

If the Jazz are able to come to terms on a new deal for Nurkic to bring him back for next year's roster, there doesn't have to be a dire push to bring on another big man for the second unit.

Between him, Kyle Filipowski, and the size that Utah can use within various lineups from their starting frontcourt, Utah could be able to stay afloat at center for the year ahead.

But without Nurkic, the Jazz could use another dose of size in their rotation. It could also give Utah a perfect opportunity to attack their defensive needs that have lingered throughout the past several seasons with a player who has more upside on that end of the floor.

Enter Robert Williams: someone who Danny Ainge first drafted while in Boston Celtics front office in 2017, has spent the past three years with the Portland Trail Blazers, and while having dealt with injury woes in recent years, can be an extremely impactful piece on the defensive side of the ball when healthy.

Apr 6, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (35) reacts from the sideline in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

This past season in Portland, Williams had one of his healthier seasons in recent memory, playing in 59 total games to average 6.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in a little over 17 minutes a night.

While a tad undersized for a center––listed at 6-foot-9, 249 pounds––he makes up for it with his wild 7-foot-6 wingspan, gravity on the defensive end, switchability, and high-end athleticism to get up and down the floor.

According to stats from Cleaning the Glass, when Williams was on the floor last season, the Blazers were allowing -4.3 points less on the defensive end, and led to teams shooting 3.8% worse from the field per 100 possessions, which were in the 85th and 94th percentile across the league.

That impact sticks out as someone who can be a valuable piece to have behind someone like Walker Kessler for around 15-20 minutes a night.

Williams doesn't quite fit the Jazz's prototypical size requirements that they've prioritized in the frontcourt when building this roster, but with the amount of length Utah has already, he doesn't really need to.

He's a change of pace that tackles their biggest remaining needs of defensive upside, can be brought in on a short-term, low-risk deal, and can likely sign onto a deal for less than their full MLE of $15 million.

With all of that said, keep an eye on Williams as someone the Jazz could have on their radar in the event they're in the market for center depth.

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