BOSTON -- Four years ago, as the Boston Celtics prepared for a season in which Marcus Smart was their most highly-touted player, Smart's fellow rookie James Young was asked if he would be willing to go to the D-League to get 30 minutes per game.

"Definitely not," Young said, at the time. "If it happens, it happens. But I just want to stay here and get better like that."

Young, of course, spent a lot of time in the D-League, and he never made an impact in three years with the Celtics.

Since then, however, the Celtics have made good use of the Maine Red Claws -- their (now) G-League affiliate -- giving Terry Rozier, Guerschon Yabusele and even Marcus Smart minutes for both development and rehab in Portland.

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?"

Told about Young's response four years ago, Williams shook his head.

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

Williams has been a sponge at the first two days of Celtics training camp. He didn't scrimmage either day, but he participated in practices and is expected to be available on Friday in the team's preseason opener.

"Just a big, big learning experience," Williams said. "Learning, soaking up, memorizing everything that you hear. Literally everything. Just a lot of taking stuff in. That was pretty much it."

"Literally everything" isn't an exaggeration. As his interview with MassLive wrapped up, a member of Celtics PR draped a towel around his shoulder.

"Let me ask: Why'd you put a towel on me?" Williams asked.

He was informed players sometimes get cold as sweat dries.

"I was getting cold," Williams said, nodding.

With all the talent on the roster, the Celtics can afford to be intentionally cautious with Williams -- a promising player with knee tendinitis.

"We just want to make sure," Danny Ainge said. "You know, when we drafted Terry Rozier, he had some tendinitis issues in his knees, and I think our medical staff has done an amazing job. He missed zero practices and zero games last year in the regular season and playoffs, and we're trying to do the same thing with Robert.

"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."

Per a source, Williams is expected to spend a significant amount of time with the Red Claws, although the team wants him around the Celtics as much as possible to learn from all the good influences on the roster.

But ever since the initial missteps of Williams' career -- sleeping through a press conference, missing a flight and an absent mark at his first practice -- the Celtics have had no problems with Williams. A source said Williams is early to some (maybe even most) practices and events put on by the team, and he has been easy to coach and work with.

Meanwhile, to the media, Williams is saying all the right things about his role, his work, his role models, and -- yes -- the G-League.

"I'm actually looking forward to (playing in Maine)," Williams said. "Just to work on stuff. Everybody wants to play. Everybody want to play, showcase your talent.

"That's another blessing. That's just another blessing. A chance to work, showcase my game. That's what we're all here for."