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The Boston Celtics shipped Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks as part of a three-team sign-and-trade between Boston, Dallas and San Antonio on Wednesday. The Celtics landed two future second-round picks in the deal, and have now acquired six (!) future second-round picks since draft night.
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A sign-and-trade was a likely outcome for Williams entering the offseason, and those chances only increased when the Celtics traded for Kristaps Porzingis the night before the draft.
Though Williams signed a very reasonable four-year, $54 million deal, the move was mostly financially motivated for Boston, as the Celtics would have been in the new “second apron” of the luxury tax had they re-signed the 24-year-old forward.
The second apron was introduced in the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement and is designed to make penalties harsher for teams that spend above the luxury tax, which is set at $165 million.
Considering Williams bizarrely found his way out of Joe Mazzulla’s rotation at various points throughout the season, it would not have made sense to enter the penalty.
Throughout his four seasons with the Celtics, Williams was a terrific role player and locker room presence for the C’s. As a “three-and-D” type player, Williams provided tremendous versatility for the Celtics with his ability to knock down threes and defend down low. The Celtics will sorely miss the versatility and toughness Williams presents.
Having lost their two most intense and tough players this offseason in Williams and Marcus Smart, the Celtics are going to desperately need someone to step up and fill that void.
But more important is how this trade impacts Boston’s front court. Front court depth was a concern for the Celtics last season, and one they addressed when trading for Porzingis, but that depth can be called into question again with the departure of Williams.
There is no doubt the Celtics are loaded with talent in the front court between Porzingis, Al Horford and Robert Williams, but there is a significant drop-off after those three. Considering the injury history of Porzingis and Williams, and the fact that 37-year-old Horford typically sits on the second night of back-to-backs, Boston will be in the market for another forward.
Outside of the trio of Porzingis, Williams and Horford, Boston currently has two forwards in Sam Hauser (who is really a wing) and newly acquired Oshae Brissett and one center in Luke Kornet. Though the Celtics selected Arkansas forward Jordan Walsh in the second round, 38th overall, he is more of a developmental project and will likely not see much time this season.
In trading Williams, Boston acquired a new traded player exception worth $6.2 million. Between that newly generated TPE, their six future second-round picks, and potentially still a Malcolm Brogdon trade, Boston has the assets to acquire a nice bench piece that fits the mold the C’s are looking for.