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Though he doesn’t play for the Boston Celtics anymore, Grant Williams still has some thoughts about his former team. After missing the playoffs for the first time in his career, Williams told Forbes’ DJ Siddiqi how he feels about his former team’s title chances.
“I think the team (the Celtics) is equipped to prepare this year and learn from all those mistakes over the past four years, and hopefully, they can get over the hump this year,” Grant told Siddiqi in a May 13 story.
Furthermore, Williams told Siddiqi that the Celtics are more “offensively motivated” following the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Because of that, he believes that they can “outscore anyone.”
Williams also explained what caused the Celtics’ previous playoff failures during his time in Boston.
“I don’t think you can attribute it to coaching,” Williams told Siddiqi. “Some of it might be due to our play. One of those series against the Heat, they just out-bullied us. In the bubble against the Heat, they shot the ball extremely well, and our defense wasn’t what it needed to be.”
Grant Williams Praises Kyrie Irving
When the Celtics traded Williams to the Dallas Mavericks, he became teammates with infamous ex-Celtic Kyrie Irving.
The two never played together in Boston, but Williams spoke highly of Irving, praising his impact in Dallas.
“I feel like it’s a level of growth from every person, but at the same time, it’s always narrative and spin,” Williams said during a May episode of “The Cedric Maxwell Podcast.” “It’s the same way they talked about Russell Westbrook being, quote, the worst player. Then get goes to the Clippers, and it’s like, he’s an impact player.
“I remember Kyrie, when I first got into the league, he treated me with some of the most respect and care of any rookie, second-year, third-year player. I’m thankful because he was that way when I got to Dallas. Kyrie’s been that love bug, that embracing (person). He always has that on teams.”
Williams and Irving didn’t play together for long. The Mavericks traded the former to the Charlotte Hornets at the NBA Trade Deadline. Williams seemingly enjoyed his brief time with Irving.
Grant Williams Says Daniel Theis Couldn’t Stand Him
During his time with the Celtics, Williams played with Theis for three seasons, although they were teammates for half of the latter two seasons. On that same podcast, Williams admitted that Theis initially was not his biggest fan, although that changed with time.
“I remember Theis. This is the perfect example. Theis hated me, I think, when I first got to Boston. Hated me. He’d always tell me to shut up and stuff like that. We went to a couple of dinners, and he started getting comfortable around me. Now, he’s one of my closest friends.
“I always tease him like, I remember back in the day, you used to treat me wrong as a rookie, and it wasn’t because I was a rookie. He was like, ‘Yeah, I couldn’t stand you.’”
Theis and Williams played from 2019 to 2021, then reunited in Boston in 2022 before the Celtics traded the German center.
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