Grant Williams spent the first four seasons of his career with the Boston Celtics, helping them reach the 2022 NBA Finals. Last summer, as he entered free agency, Williams found himself on the move to the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal that sent three second-round picks to Boston. Ahead of the trade deadline, the Mavs moved Williams to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for PJ Washington.
The Celtics were able to get both Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday as a result of moving Williams, and the Mavericks were able to add Washington. Funny enough, the Celtics and Mavs are currently playing one another in the 2024 NBA Finals and receiving huge impacts from the players they were able to land as a result of trading Williams.
In the midst of watching both of his former teams fight for a championship, Williams was on FanDuel's Run It Back recently to not only discuss the NBA Finals but also talk about how he was upset to never receive a tribute video from the Celtics.
“The video itself honestly. They were giving most guys videos whether it was Rob [Robert Williams III] or Malcolm [Brogdon], and [Marcus] Smart. The game before, I think a couple of games before, Rob had texted saying he doesn't want a video. If Rob doesn't get a video, it makes no sense to give me one. I expected that to happen,” Williams said on Wednesday. “It definitely sucked because it would’ve been cool to see the highlights and the highs that we had throughout that team. We had some great moments, but at the same time, I can always remember those by watching TV or going back and watching the film.”
In a total of 288 games with the Celtics over the span of four years, Williams averaged 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 45.1 percent from the floor. The forward always found himself as a fan favorite in Boston, which is why Williams was surprised that no tribute video was given to him.
Then again, this isn't the first time Williams has brought up the fact that he felt disrespected by the Celtics.
Grant Williams wanted Celtics tribute video
Every player in the NBA wants their former teams to show them a sign of respect. In the past, only All-Star-level players and those who drastically impacted an organization were given tribute videos. Now, it seems like any player who winds up being traded or leaves in free agency, so long as it was on good terms, receives recognition from their former franchise.
That was not the case with Williams when he returned to Boston this season.
Upon his return to play in TD Garden, Williams spoke with Celtics legend Cedric Maxwell about how he felt disrespected by the organization for their actions.
““I was a little bit disappointed just because I feel like there were some great years in those four years that I was there,” Williams stated. “I was a kid that got drafted there and I was a kid that grew up there.”
Like he did recently on Run It Back, Williams mentioned then that the Celtics wanted to keep things consistent with what they had done for Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon, who did not receive tribute videos after being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Williams has now turned a new leaf with the Hornets. He is under contract with Charlotte heading into 2024-25 season, and he appears to be at peace with his role there. However, Williams still seems to hold a grudge against the Celtics for not putting together some sort of tribute video.
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