Grant Williams is on his way to play with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving after the Dallas Mavericks completed a three-team sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. Williams will sign a four-year, $54 million contract to go to Dallas.
The Celtics will receive two second-round picks in the trade, while San Antonio will get sharpshooting guard Reggie Bullock along with an unprotected first-round pick swap with the Mavericks in 2030. In addition to Williams, who was a restricted free agent, the Mavs will also get a couple of second-round picks. Boston will also generate a $6.2 million trade exception in the deal.
Williams becomes the headline of a relatively quiet fifth day of free agency. With two players moving destinations and four picks getting dealt, the newest member of the Mavs organization is undoubtedly the biggest piece. With that, let's give a grade to everyone involved in this three-team deal.
Mavs grade: B+
The Mavs deserve a grade of B+ for this deal. They land a solid 3-and-D piece in Grant Williams, who could earn a starting job in Dallas after playing mostly a reserve role in Boston. Williams has been a key player for the Celtics in their runs to the Finals and Eastern Conference Finals the last two seasons. In 156 games across two seasons, he has averaged 8.0 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from three.
Williams bolsters their depth and should play a larger role with the Mavs. The 6-foot-6 forward possesses a burly and strong frame that makes him capable of guarding taller forwards. His 43 percent shooting clip from the corners should make him a valued piece in Dallas' offense with Luka Doncic running the show.
Contract-wise, a $54 million deal across four seasons seems just right for Williams. It won't break Dallas' bank and it still allows the Mavericks the chance to sign a free agent using the full mid-level exception. They could use that MLE to sign another piece to help them get back in title contention after missing the playoffs in 2023.
Though they gain Grant Williams, they unfortunately lose one of their top shooters and better wing defenders in Reggie Bullock. Bullock has been a solid 3-and-D option for the Mavs in each of the past two seasons. In 146 games (92 games) as a Maverick, the 32-year-old averaged 7.8 points while shooting 37 percent from long distance.
Nonetheless, his departure shouldn't sting as much as it did allow Dallas to shed a contract to be able to still utilize the full MLE. They will need to find a viable replacement to fill the void of what Bullock left on the table.
Celtics grade: B-
As for the Celtics, they get a grade of B- for this deal. Losing a player always hurts. But it seems like the writing was on the wall for Grant Williams when Boston orchestrated a sign-and-trade for Kristaps Porzingis in free agency. Porzingis only crowded Boston's front court and Williams would have been lost in the shuffle had he remained in Bean Town.
Boston could have still matched Williams' deal. But instead, they opted to acquire a couple of second-rounders than paying the 24-year-old forward they drafted with the 19th overall pick in 2019. Doing so would have ballooned Boston's already massive tax bill.
But the question is: Are the two second round picks valuable enough of a return in losing one of their key bench pieces? Likely not.
The Celtics lost an underrated part of their rotation. Williams shot over 40 percent from three (43 percent from the corner) and they will miss just having that solid three-point option waiting on the wings. They will also miss the grit and hustle he brought on the floor on a nightly basis. The Celtics won't get to replace his production and the other immeasurable intangibles he brought to the table.
Spurs grade: B
The Spurs seem to be just the third party in this trade as the Mavericks looked to unload Reggie Bullock to acquire Grant Williams. Nonetheless, they did net an unprotected first-round pick swap in this deal.
It is still difficult to evaluate this deal right now for the Spurs since it's still unknown if they will even get to use the pick swap. As they continue building around their prized rookie Victor Wembanyama, it's possible they could be better than the Mavs by the time the 2030 NBA Draft rolls along.
Dallas could have just a three-year window to win a championship with Luka Doncic potentially hitting the free agency market by the end of the 2025-26 season. That is also the same year Kyrie Irving's new deal is up, should he opt in for the 2025-26 campaign. If the Mavs don't win or come close to being a championship team, there is a chance they won't be without their stars before 2030.
In addition, Bullock is on an expiring deal and will be off the books next season. He is also a potential piece they could move to a contender needing additional three-point shooting. Therefore, they could still get some assets for him.
Regardless, this is a no-risk, yet low-reward trade for the Spurs, which warrants a vanilla B grade for this deal.
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