Getty Grant Williams, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are yet to agree to a contract extension with Grant Williams, despite the fourth-year forward experiencing a break-out season throughout 2021-22.
Williams, 23, participated in 77 regular-season games last season, averaging 7.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and an assist per game while shooting an incredible 41.1% from deep. However, Williams is entering the final year of his rookie scale contract and will become a restricted free agent at the end of the upcoming season, unless the Celtics extend a contract extension in the coming weeks.
When speaking on NBC Sports Boston’s media day production, Williams noted how he’s focused on the upcoming season and is leaving the contract negotiations to his agent, allowing him to continue focusing on potentially winning a championship.
“My agents are in communication with the team. I’m letting them focus on that. My focus is on winning. I love Boston. If I get the extension, great. If I don’t, I move to the next day. My whole goal is to win the championship,” Williams said on September 26.
Grant Williams on extension negotiations: “My agents are in communications with the team. I’m letting them focus on that. My focus is on winning. I love Boston. If I get the extension, great. If I don’t, I move to the next day. My whole goal is to win the championship.”
Williams projects to have a significant role within the Celtics rotation this season, and could potentially increase his value should he continue to show improvements, so it would be prudent for Brad Stevens to agree upon an extension before the start of the season.
Williams Agent ‘Prefers’ Rookie Extensions
Speaking on a September 10 episode of The Celtics Collective podcast, Heavy’com’s Sean Deveney noted how Williams’ agent, Bill Duffy, has shown a tendency to encourage his players to accept rookie extensions, rather than to test their luck in free agency.
“Getting that third-year extension is a very important thing, it’s a way of generating generational wealth for the young man’s family forever. If you get the opportunity to get that, you make sure they take advantage…Bill Duffy is also RJ Barrett’s agent, and we saw RJ take an extension rather than push for the max extension. Bill Duffy has a long history of approaching things this way,” Deveney explained when talking about Williams’ agent.
Last season, Stevens extended both Marcus Smart and Robert Williams when they were in similar situations – although Smart was coming to the end of his second contract, rather than his rookie-scale deal. As such, it’s highly likely we see Williams and the Celtics reach an agreement in the near future.
Williams Encouraged to Become ‘More Like Draymond’
On September 15, Deveney spoke with an Eastern Conference coach under the condition of anonymity, regarding ways in which Williams could potentially improve his game and grow his influence on the floor – to which the coach encouraged Boston’s talkative forward to embrace a ‘Draymond Green’ role.
“Passing is one. People compare him to Draymond but it is not a very good comparison other than they are very good defenders and they’re undersized. Grant finally shot the ball the way we all thought he could come out of college — he should be a 40% shooter from the 3-point line every year with that team. Draymond, you just hope he hits the league average on 3s. But Draymond is a brilliant passer, he sees the floor, and he does not telegraph what he is doing. Williams will never be that level of passer. But he can get better, he can be a very effective high-post passer. He did it a lot at Tennessee, we’ve just not seen it go through him in the NBA,” The coach said.
I’ve said this a bunch through the week, but Grant Williams being trusted to switch onto Kyrie and KD on the perimeter – and limiting those guys – speak volumes to his development since last season
Williams and Green went to battle during the NBA Finals, where the Celtics eventually lost in game six against the Golden State Warriors – but there should be no denying that Boston’s young forward would have certainly taken some lessons away from one of the most successful small-ball forward’s in the league, and hopefully he can implement those lessons in the upcoming season.