NBA free agency Already in silly season mode. the Houston Rockets On a shopping spree Damian Lillard asked to trade from Portland Trail Blazers (finally).
Michael Scotto of Hoopshype And Mark Stein NBA insider Both reported Charlotte’s interest in signing Williams to an offer sheet starting July 6 following the NBA’s discontinuation. Miles Bridges picked up his qualifying $7.9 million offer yesterday rather than negotiate a new deal with the Hornets with another restricted free agent, PJ Washington, still trying to work out his future with them as well. They still had plenty of room to make a competitive offer to Williams, but according to Stein, “The Celtics have been sending signals behind the scenes to interested teams that they intend to match any offer sheet.”
The Mavericks are also at Grant’s game. They could offer him something about a mid-level taxpayer exception and for the Celtics to match (or something above that number), that would presumably push them to the second apron of the new collective bargaining agreement. Penalties in this rarefied air obviously include paying a luxury tax, but also restrictions on using their MLE and signing buyout candidates.
Like Bridges, Williams could accept an $8.5 million QO, play next season, and become an unrestricted free agent. He had a no-trade clause on a hit-or-miss deal in Boston as well.
Although Williams is generally regarded as a “fourth big” behind Al Horford, Robert Williams and newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis, he played 38% of his rookie minutes at small forward in basketball reference. Despite the addition of Oshae Brissett, Williams’ 3&D skills and versatility are invaluable throughout the league. We’ll just have to see how much teams are opposing and, more importantly, the Celtics are willing to pay for it.