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Report: Celtics to trade Grant Williams to Mavericks in three-team sign-and-trade deal

Ranking the most underrated moves in free agency
Natalie joins Michael Smith and Michael Holley to discuss the most underrated moves in NBA free agency so far.

The Celtics did not get the first-round pick they were trying to hold out for, but they did about as well as they were going to in trading a restricted free agent.

Grant Williams has agreed to a sign-and-trade sending him to the Dallas Mavericks in a three-team deal also involving the Spurs, a story broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic. Williams is signing a four-year, $54 million extension — four years at the mid-level exception — to complete the deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of EPSN.

The trade shakes out like this:
• The Mavericks receive: Grant Williams, two second-round picks
• The Spurs receive: Reggie Bullock, a 2030 pick swap (unprotected)
• The Celtics receive: Two second-round picks

Some quick thoughts on the trade:

• Dallas has had a good offseason and this adds to it. Williams is a switchable defender who can guard two through five and hit the 3, shooting 39.5% from deep last season. On a team with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, having a multi-positional defender who can knock down 3s is a great fit. He does not impress anyone who just looks at the counting stats (8.1 points per game last season) but people who watched the Celtics a couple of seasons ago see the possibilities.

• In other moves this offseason, the Mavericks re-signed Kyrie Irving, signed sharpshooter Seth Curry as well as Dante Exum and Dwight Powell, traded for Richaun Holmes, drafted Olivier-Max Prosper and Dereck Lively, plus traded for Richaun Holmes. They also have an offer sheet out on Matisse Thybulle. Those are all good fits around Dončić and Irving — if that duo can mesh this will be a dangerous team in the West next season.

• Williams, who spent his entire career with the Celtics after being drafted 21st in 2019 out of Tennessee, played a role in Boston’s run to the Finals in 2022. However, with the addition of Kristaps Porzingis, Williams was squeezed out, both in terms of a roster spot and financially.

• The move keeps the Celtics below the second tax apron.

• The backup forwards for Boston right now are Sam Hauser, Oshae Brissett and Dalano Banton. That’s concerning.

• The Spurs pick up a 2030 pick swap for essentially nothing. Nice work if you can get it.

• Expect the Spurs to try and flip Bullock for another pick or young player, but if they have to start the season with him on the roster that is still a good fit.