Getty Grant Williams, Boston Celtics
One of the biggest questions for Boston Celtics fans this past off-season was how much money Grant Williams was going to get if he signed a contract extension with the team.
For most fans, anywhere between $10 – $14 million annually seemed about right to keep the Tennessee native with the Celtics long-term. As we all know by now, Williams and the Celtics failed to agree to terms for an extension, so the young forward will become a restricted free agent at the end of the current season.
Sources: The Celtics never offered Grant Williams more than $50 million guaranteed over four years during extension talks before the season. More on what rival executives believe it’ll take to pry Williams from Boston on @hoopshype.
“During extension talks with Grant Williams, the Celtics never offered more than $50 million guaranteed over four years, league sources told HoopsHype. As I previously reported on HoopsHype, Williams would’ve taken a deal for $14 million annually. There are some around the league that believe an offer around $18 million annually could be too much for Boston to match in restricted free agency,” Scotto wrote.
Luckily, the Celtics will be able to match any potential offer sheet Williams signs next summer, although, as Scotto notes, there could be a limit to what the Celtics are able to match, as they deal with an increasingly high salary sheet and will also have Al Horford becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
Williams is Playing Himself Into a Bigger Contract
Last season, Williams was one of the breakout players in the NBA, bouncing back from a tough sophomore season to become one of the most reliable three-point shooters in the NBA, averaging 41.1% from deep over 77 regular-season games.
Beyond just his shooting, Williams proved himself as a versatile defender, capable of switching across multiple positions and dealing with some of the premier talents in the league – even giving himself the Batman moniker for his defensive efforts against Nikola ‘The Joker’ Jokic.
Grant Williams 👑
To begin this season, Williams is showing even greater developments, showing an ability to score off the dribble, attack close-outs, and punish defenders in the post, all while shooting 48.8% from deep on 3.3 attempts per game. If Williams continues to impress, and can sustain his current level of play, then Boston will have a difficult decision to make once the off-season rolls around.
Keeping One Eye on Jaylen Brown
Another reason why the Celtics need to carefully manage their finances this summer is due to the impending free agency of Jaylen Brown in 2024. As things stand, the Celtics could look to negotiate a contract extension with the Georgia native before he hits the free agent market, but Brown stands to earn a considerable pay rise by hitting free agency.
As such, the Celtics will need to remain prudent in how they enter contract negotiations, and how long they sign players for, as they look to deal with a rapid increase in costs, should they wish to keep their current core together.
➼ This is a contract that can only be offered by the team the player is currently on, and spans 5 seasons as opposed to 4, which the other 29 teams can offer.
➼ He would be eligible for 30% of the salary cap in that year, having 7-9 years completed in the NBA
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Still, Boston holds Brown’s bird rights and can offer him more than any other team in the league, but that doesn’t mean the Celtics will want to be repeat tax offenders for multiple years to come – unless they develop into a dynasty, of course.