Getty Grant Williams, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics will be facing a tough decision this summer as they navigate the restricted free agency of Grant Williams.
Currently, it’s hard to gauge Williams’ value around the NBA, but given his defensive ability, and career 37.9% marksmanship from deep, there will certainly be some interested suitors. Now, it would appear that Brooklyn Nets wing Mikal Bridges is a fan of Williams’ skillset, as he recently sent a joking message on Twitter, commenting on a picture of the Celtics forward dressed up as Batman.
While initially, it was hard to tell if Bridges was simply joking or whether his comments were a thinly veiled attempt to show Williams there would be room for him on the rebuilding Nets. It turns out that Bridges’ comments were more comedic than anything, as he was referencing Williams’ alter-ego of Batman and commenting on the current air quality issues that are affecting the city of New York.
Still, in regards to Williams’ free agency, there is no guarantee that Boston will allow him to leave, as they have the ability to match any offer sheet he signs.
So, in order for another team to acquire Williams during free agency, they will need to make him an offer that Boston doesn’t feel comfortable matching, meaning they may need to overpay him in order to obtain him.
However, given how the Nets have entered into another rebuilding phase following the trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, it stands to reason that they may see Williams as an ideal addition to help improve their current rotation.
Grant Williams ‘Drawing Interest’ From Magic
According to a Western Conference Executive, who spoke with Heavy on Sports Sean Deveney under the condition of anonymity, the Orlando Magic could be a team that makes an offer to Grant Williams this summer.
Two free agents kept coming up around the @OrlandoMagic in talks with NBA execs. Whether the Magic are ready to go hard at free agency remains a question:
“What they do this summer will be real important”
More on a critical few months at @HeavyOnSports:
“He is 24. He has proven his chops on both ends,” The Executive said. “You can’t coach that kind of experience. He’s got it. He is a perfect fit there. You want to become a playoff team. He is the kind of guy they’d want. But Orlando would have to overpay to get him, and it is tough to expect a team to do that. Obviously, if you are Williams, you want to see the Magic being aggressive on the market.”
Williams played in 79 regular-season games for the Celtics this season, averaging 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per contest while shooting the rock at a 45.4% clip from the field and 39.5% clip from deep.
Payton Pritchard Wants to be Traded
While the Celtics will certainly make Williams’ free agency a top priority to begin the offseason, they will also need to make a decision regarding Payton Pritchard’s future with the franchise.
According to The Athletic’s Jay King, Pritchard informed Boston’s front office that he wishes to be traded this summer.
“With the new onerous CBA rules looming after next season, the front office will likely have to decide in the next 12 months whether it can afford its expensive veteran depth,” King wrote. “Payton Pritchard has made it clear he hopes to be traded this summer, according to multiple team sources.”
Payton Pritchard has made it clear he wants to be traded this off-season, per @ByJayKing and @JaredWeissNBA.
Pritchard, 25, struggled for playing time this season following the addition of Malcolm Brogdon last summer. As such, the third-year guard only saw the court on 48 occasions during the regular season, posting career lows across the board.
Still, given how Pritchard remains under contract with the Celtics for the 2023-24 season, it will be interesting to see how Brad Stevens and the front office approach his desire to be traded.