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Grant Williams’ future with the Boston Celtics remains a major talking between with both the fans and media.
On December 20, The Athletic’s Shams Charania appeared on FanDuel Tv’s Run It Back, where he discussed potential landing spots for Williams next summer should the Celtics be unwilling to match an offer sheet.
“There’s strong interest, so I think there’s gonna be a market. When I talk to teams around the league, I think people are looking at him as something in that 15 to 17 million dollar range in an extension. He’s thriving right now in this hybrid role. He’ll start sometimes, and he’ll come off the bench most of the time. He’s able to thrive as a spot-up shooter. So, it’s gonna be curious to see if he does end up leaving or if he gets a bigger deal somewhere else.
Obviously, that puts him in a position to start, but where would that leave him? Would he play better? And I think teams feel like he could be more impactful on the offensive end doing a little bit more than just being a spot-up shooter. But, right now, he’s filling a perfect role for them. He’s thriving in that line-up. And I think, when you look at the cap space teams in the summer, the Orlando’s, the OKC’s, the Indiana’s — those are all teams that you can plug a Grant Williams in,” Charania said.
Williams, 24, will become a restricted free agent when his current contract expires at the end of the season.
Miami Heat Unlikely to Sign Grant Williams
On November 4, Greg Sylvander of Five Reasons Sports reported that the Miami Heat held a mutual interest in trading for Williams – should the Celtics make him available. However, according to an Eastern Conference Executive, who spoke with Heavy on Sports’ Sean Deveney under the condition of anonymity, it is highly unlikely Williams finds himself playing on South Beach anytime soon.
“The Heat would love to get a hold of Grant Williams. But you know what? We all would. He is absolutely their kind of player, a tough and annoying and relentless defender who can also shoot. So, mutual interest, sure. Who would not want to go play for Erik Spoelstra on South Beach? But the Celtics are not trading him, and when the summer comes, the Heat won’t have the money to sign him. They can have all the interest they want; it is almost impossible for them to bring Williams in,” The executive said.
Williams has been excellent to begin the new season, providing the Celtics with 9.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 53.3% from the field and 43.3% from three-point range.
Celtics Held Tough Negotiations With Grant Williams
This past summer, the Celtics and Williams held discussions surrounding a potential contract extension, however, reports have emerged stating that Boston came into those negotiations with an unwillingness to offer more than $12.5 million per year.
“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,” HoopsHype’s Micahel Scotto wrote on November 15.
If Charania’s latest reporting is to be believed, it would appear that Williams is in line to receive a significant pay increase once his current deal expires, and that will be interesting to see how the Celtics navigate the additional salary given their already large payroll.
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