Getty Image / Ron Jenkins
The Dallas Mavericks entered this offseason knowing they needed to make some changes if they were going to succeed next season.
Their team collapsed down the stretch of the 2022-23 season, missing the playoffs after making a blockbuster trade for Kyrie Irving at the NBA’s deadline.
Coming into today, the biggest moves they made during the offseason were a couple of cap-clearing trades, retaining a couple of key players, and signing Seth Curry.
Today that changed.
Grant Williams was expected to end up losing his spot with the Celtics this offseason. He entered the offseason as a restricted free agent and the team’s cap situation didn’t seem to be one that would allow the team to extend him.
Now it looks like the Celtics have at least managed to find a sign-and-trade partner to get themselves some compensation for Williams as he leaves Boston.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Celtics will be sending Williams to the Mavericks in a deal that also includes the San Antonio Spurs.
Sources: The Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics are finalizing a three-team trade:
– Mavs: Grant Williams
– Spurs: Reggie Bullock and an unprotected Dallas pick swap in 2030
– Celtics: Multiple second-round picks pic.twitter.com/7Bi6Dykydf— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2023
The deal gets the Boston Celtics multiple 2nd round picks and sends Reggie Bullock to the Spurs along with a 2030 pick swap with the Mavs.
Charania also added that Williams’ new contract will earn him $54 million over the next 4 seasons.
Williams has been a solid role player for the Celtics for the last 4 years and averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds for them last season.
The move to Dallas should give him a chance to carve out a larger role, as evidenced by the investment the Mavs were willing to make in him.
He’ll also benefit from getting to play alongside a pair of talented distributors in Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic.
He may not be another star, but trading for Grant Williams is a solid move for the Dallas Mavericks this offseason.