Dallas Mavericks land Grant Williams in sign-and-trade

Grant Williams Sets New Playoff Career-High 27 PTS 🍀

The Dallas Mavericks have acquired restricted free agent forward Grant Williams in a three-team sign-and-trade deal with the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Williams will sign a four-year contract worth $53 million with the Dallas Mavericks as part of the deal. However, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported $54 million.

The Celtics will receive three second-round picks in return, while the Spurs will receive Reggie Bullock and an unprotected Mavericks pick swap in 2030.

The Celtics drafted the 24-year-old forward out of the University of Tennessee with the 22nd overall pick in 2019. He averaged 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in 79 games for Boston last season while shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range.

Williams was in and out of the rotation this season but returned to a big role off the bench in the playoffs. He did the same thing last year when the Celtics reached the NBA Finals.

Recently, Boston took on a lot of salary by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis and trading Marcus Smart. The team decided to get two second-round picks instead of matching Williams’ contract next season. The Celtics are already one of the top contenders in the East, and they want to stay within the salary cap.

Mavericks’ preparation

The Mavericks are looking to rebound from a disappointing 2022–23 season, in which they finished 11th in the Western Conference.

Williams’ addition gives the Mavericks a young, versatile player who can help them compete in the Western Conference. He complements the Mavericks’ star-studded backcourt of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, expectedly helping the team improve its defense.

After the season, Williams underwent surgery on his non-shooting left hand. According to the Celtics, he will be ready for training camp.

The Mavericks have had a busy offseason, making several moves to improve their roster. The team re-signed Irving to a three-year deal, traded for two first-round picks (Dereck Lively II and Olivier Maxence-Prosper) and signed the Brooklyn Nets’ Seth Curry.