NBA Rumors: Celtics unfairly playing hardball with teams interested in Grant Williams

NBA Rumors: The Boston Celtics are not willing to help teams in trying to negotiate a sign-and-trade for Grant Williams. 

After a disappointing showing in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics headed into the offseason with the goal of retooling the supporting cast around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown; that much has been clear during the first few weeks of the NBA summer. And after acquiring Kristaps Porzingis, the writing on the wall that the team was preparing to move on from restricted free agent Grant Williams.

Nearly a week into free agency, Williams is still one of the better difference-making free agents still available on the open market. The problem is, a week heading into free agency, most of the teams with salary cap space that also made sense for Williams are pretty non-existent after the first wave of free agency.

That means if Williams is going to get the money that he probably deserves on the open market, it’s likely going to have to come via sign-and-trade.

And according to a recent report (subscription required), the Celtics are willing to work a sign-and-trade for Williams. However, they’re asking for a first-round pick as compensation. For the lack of better phrasing, that’s absolutely unfair and, quite frankly, unrealistic.

A few suitors for Grant Williams

There is probably a healthy amount of teams that are interested in Williams. However, I find it hard to believe that many of them, if any, would be willing to part ways with a future first-round pick simply to just have the opportunity to sign Williams.

At least in my opinion, the Dallas Mavericks make the most sense as a possible landing spot for Williams. However, they don’t have the available cap space at the moment to make Williams the offer that it will take for the Celtics to not match. Therefore, the most likely outcome if the Mavs are able to come away with Williams this offseason is a sign and trade.

But with the Celtics playing hardball, there’s no clear endpoint or when we could see Williams join a new team – nor even a guarantee of it.

Nevertheless, you’d have to imagine that there will be some sort of resolution regarding Williams soon. Williams is too good to still be sitting in free agency. And it’s probably in the best interest of him and the Celtics to move on. The question is, where will his next stop end up being?