The free agency period in the NBA may be coming to an end, but there are still a few dominoes expected to fall that could change the league landscape. One of these dominoes is the restricted free agent Grant Williams. The latest reporting, by Jared Weiss of the Athletic, suggests that the Washington Wizards are interested in the Boston Celtics forward.
The free agency moratorium officially ends on July 6, meaning teams can start signing the free agents to the agreed-upon contracts. It also means that restricted free agents like Grant Williams are eligible to sign an offer sheet with any team. After signing the offer sheet, their current team -Boston Celtics in Williams’ case- has 24 hours to match that contract offer.
The Washington Wizards are reportedly in the mix for Williams along with the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, and the New York Knicks.
Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, and Washington have their non-taxpayer mid-level exceptions available to offer. This would start Grant Williams’ contract for next season at $12.4 million.
Since the offers for Williams will most likely be around the same amount, he will have to prioritize other factors such as the organization, the team, and his role.
The Wizards’ advantage in that situation is their ability to offer a starting spot as well as a big role for Williams. He would be one of the veteran leaders on the team despite being only 24 years old. Washington’s disadvantage is their lack of immediate playoff ambitions. If Williams wants to continue playing for a playoff team, he will likely choose one of the other options on the table.
The Boston Celtics could still match any offer and keep Williams. He played a huge role in their playoff success, after all. However, the team is getting expensive, the tax bill is rising, and Williams on an eight-figure annual salary might be out of their price range considering the new addition of Kristaps Porzingis to their frontcourt rotation.
If the Wizards are able to lure Grant Williams, he would be a fantastic addition to the team. Williams is a solid, multi-positional defender who can be the defensive leader of the team. He is tough, strong, and regularly makes winning plays.
On the offensive end, he is a 38% three-point shooter in the regular season, and 43% in the playoffs. He would be a great pick & pop option and a floor-spacer. Having a Daniel Gafford-Grant Williams duo, where one can pop while the other can roll to the rim, provides excellent optionality on offense.
Not only would Grant Williams be an excellent contributor on the court, but he would also be on a bargain contract. Grant Williams is a two-way player whose prime is still ahead of him, who played over 27 minutes per game for the NBA finalists in the 2022 playoffs. Getting him on a below-starter-level salary is a fantastic value contract.
Trying to sign Grant Williams is a no-brainer for the rebuilding Wizards who need more frontcourt depth, and Williams is easily the best one remaining on the market.