On Friday, during a first-half break, the Celtics acknowledged Grant Williams for almost ten seconds, during which he awkwardly raised a hand to scattered applause.
The former Celtic took nearly the whole season to get back to Boston after being moved to Charlotte by the Mavericks, the team he signed with last summer, after just 47 games. While the Celtics starting lineup rested in preparation for a summertime playoff push, he watched as the Boston reserves he had played with thrashed the Hornets bench 131-98. Williams, whose season is nearly finished due to injuries, sat out as well, and Charlotte will most certainly end 20-62. Despite this, during Friday mornings practice at TD Garden, Williams had no qualms about jumping ship from the Celtics or signing with the Mavericks.
If you ask Williams, Its just part of life, he told the Boston Sports Journal. Things happen to you. Everything occurs for a purpose. When I look back, what could I have done differently? A manner like that is not acceptable. If you want to avoid a repeat of the same mistakes or improve your performance the following time around, you need to focus on the future.
Williams later admitted that he anticipated leaving the Celtics due t salary limit issues, and the Celtics signed and dealt him t Dallas in July fr three secnd-rund picks in the future. Trading Marcus Smart fr tw first-rund picks and reruting Tyus Jnes t Washingtn in exchange fr Kristaps Przingis were already part f the rster rerganizatin. They set a limit and refused t negtiate with Williams at fur years and $53.3 millin lng befre Jrue Hliday became an ptin in September. After helping the Celtics reach the 2022 NBA Finals and appearing in every game dating back t the 2020-21 seasn, he fell ut f favr under Je Mazzulla and lgged seven DNP-CDs between the end f the regular seasn and the playffs. Reprtedly, he turned dwn an extensin ffer frm Bstn that reached that ballpark, accrding t The Athletic. ne f the greatest seasns in team histry ensued after he was a part f a much-needed shakeup. He was just as quick t praise the Mavericks fr adding depth t their frnt curt as he was t admit that the pst-ups made by Przingis had a psitive impact n the Celtics ffense.
After Al Horford left in 2019, Danny Ainge hoped to refill the front court with Williams picked 22nd overall. He was hoping to bring a dynamic player and smart defender after last seasons turmoil. After his appearance, he quickly became a darling of the press because he was cheerful, easy to talk to, and always game to play Catan with reporters. After getting out to a 0-for-25 start, he was demoted to a small ball five role and sent to the Bubble for the rest of the season.
His ffensive gme ws lcking in 202021, thus he int get much plying time until Ime Uk shwe up n wrke him int his switching strtegy. uring the plyffs, Willims gure Kevin urnt, Ginnis ntetkunmp, n Bm eby, n he snk seven threes in Gme 7 ginst Milwukee, chieving his pinncle s Celtic. His three-pint percentge increse t 41.1%. Even thugh cch n plyers like ignre Willims mre utspken tenencies, Uk n Willims still h their feus, incluing stge brwl in pril uring prctice tht stunne temmtes.
The way he practiced his game that first summer was all. Became a guy who knew defensive schemes and could communicate those instantly, Mazzulla told the press. Just a friendly man that got along great with everyone in the locker room and at the facilities. Those sparked the discussion on the defenses evolution throughout time. Him speaking while others listen.
Te negtve experences bult up t lst sesn. Becuse f n elbw njury, e ws unble t st te bll well; s result, Bstn lst n vertme espte s gurntee tw-pnt fel gl ttempts gnst te Cvlers. Just befre te fnl buzzer sune n Ut gme, e rve nt Wlker Kessler blck, tkng te gme nt s wn ns. Lte n te yer, Jel Emb trppe n s wn e, ng t s muntng lst f pyscl ssues. e ten surgery t repr n njury e lte n te et seres. Lst yer, s mst memrble perfrmnce ws s swwn wt Jmmy Butler n Gme 2. Butler scre n-ne ver m befre e went nse-t-nse wt Butler, s Kevn rlen put t. Although the Celtics fell behind 0-3 in the series, some fans enjoyed the intensity of the match, while others voiced their disapproval of Butlers behavior. After restricting Nikola Joki, Williams instructed his teammates to refer to him as Batman, in what could have been the defining moment of his Boston career. In response, Jayson Tatum shook his head and said he would refer to him as Grant. At a later date, Williams celebrated Halloween as Batman.
After a shrt stint in Bstn due t financial cncerns, pr fitness, and exhaustin, Williams mulled ver multiple ffers befre settling n Dallas, where he will try t blster the Cwbys defense while enhancing his ffensive repertire. Gathering the squad int a training camp huddle was ne example f hw he attempted t establish his vice right away, while his efficiency within the arc was anther area he experimented with twards the end f his time with the Celtics, with mixed success.
In respnse t BSJs questin abut the accelerated trade f Williams fr PJ Washingtn, Mavs head cach Jasn Kidd stated that he merely caches the team. Hwever, when pressed further, Kidd became agitated and said that he wuld nly discuss PJ Washingtns impact withut drawing cmparisns between the tw players. His new cach, Steve Cliffrd, has had fun at Williams. n the curt, he sht 50.3% (including a career-high 60.5% frm beynd the arc and 37.3% frm deep) in 29 games fr his new squad, while averaging 13.9 pints per game, 5.1 rebunds per game, and 3.2 assists per game.
Clifford reported that he had been excellent. His level of physicality and defensive communication has been an improvement above our previous player. We were probably the second or third best defense for the first sixteen games that he was with us until Cody Martin and Seth Curry got hurtthey were both hurt the first night. Since we lost those two players, weve had trouble scoring, but hes helped with that, and he also has a playmaking ability that he wasnt able to employ in Dallas or here, thanks to our roster. He had a game with eight assists immediately following his 11 assists. So weve been playing little, which is a tough way to win, but Ive still liked it. Hes been fantastic as our playmaker and trigger man thanks to his frequent appearances at the five.
Williams had his first appearance against his former team in Dallas, but he was held to only two points in seventeen minutes of play and had a shot blocked by Tatum just before halftime. He stormed the Boston post with Charlotte, drew defensive charges, and refused to back down when Porzingis attempted to defend him. Williams shot 10-for-16 (+0) for 23 points and seven rebounds as the Celtics raced away in the fourth quarter, 118-104. He was once again overheard by his old teammates.
ccrding t Willims, Derrick White referred t him s hck, nd in respnse, the Bstn