In a three-team sign-and-trade deal with the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs, the Dallas Mavericks and restricted free agent Grant Williams are nearing an agreement on a four-year, $53 million contract, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday.
According to insiders, San Antonio will trade with Dallas for forward Reggie Bullock and an unprotected first-round selection in 2030, while the Mavericks and two second-round picks would go to both the Mavericks and the Celtics, Williams’ previous club.
Bobby Marks of ESPN reports that the Celtics will also get a $6.2 million trade exemption.
Dallas now has a young, versatile 3-and-D forward who should be the ideal complement to the Mavericks’ star-studded backcourt of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving after acquiring Williams, a hefty 24-year-old reserve who averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Celtics this past season while shooting 39.5% from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts per game.
Dallas may still add a player in free agency after signing Williams in a sign-and-trade since it still has access to its entire midlevel exception. Tim MacMahon of ESPN was informed by sources that Dallas is interested in forward Matisse Thybulle, a restricted free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Williams, who was selected with the 22nd overall choice in the 2019 NBA Draught out of the University of Tennessee, has played a significant role in Boston’s two consecutive trips to the NBA Finals and the Eastern Conference Finals. Even though this season he fluctuated in and out of coach Joe Mazzulla’s rotation, he came back to play a significant role off the bench in the playoffs. He accomplished the same thing last year under Ime Udoka as Boston made their first NBA Finals appearance since 2010.
Boston decided against matching a deal to keep Williams next season, when the Celtics should once again be one of the top contenders in the East, in favour of receiving two second-round picks instead. This comes after Boston significantly increased its salary this offseason by signing Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards in a deal that saw franchise stalwart Marcus Smart join the Memphis Grizzlies.
At 6′ 6″, he Williams was one of the most interesting restricted free agents available, especially for contending clubs because of his propensity to make open 3-point shots. Research from ESPN’s Stats & Information shows that he has a lifetime shooting percentage of 43% on corner 3-pointers and 34% on all other 3-point tries. He is a versatile defensive player as well.
The Mavericks are counting on him to play a similar role as Dallas looks to improve upon its dismal 11th-place finish in the Western Conference last year, which prevented the Mavs from earning a spot in the play-in round.
Williams had surgery on his non-shooting left hand following the season, but according to the Celtics, he should be ready for training camp.
The Mavericks have had a busy offseason, as they re-signed guard Seth Curry, acquired two first-round selections in Dereck Lively II and Olivier Maxence-Prosper through deals on Friday night, and re-signed star player Kyrie Irving to a three-year contract.
In the meanwhile, San Antonio reaches the salary ceiling by getting Bullock, a 38% career 3-point shooter, as well as another potentially valuable future lottery asset in the first-round exchange.
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