Report: Celtics likely to move on from 1 player after Kristaps Porzingis trade
May 15, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams (12) has a laugh as he warms-up before game seven of the second round of the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Celtics’ reported trade for forward Kristaps Porzingis is likely to mean the end of one other player’s tenure with the team.
The Celtics are likely to move on from forward Grant Williams if and when a trade for Porzingis is completed, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. Williams is poised to become a restricted free agent this summer.
According to multiple league sources, the completion of the Porzingis deal would likely mean that Grant Williams's time in Boston has come to an end.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) June 21, 2023
Williams had been a valuable role player for the Celtics, at least up to this season. He fell out of the rotation toward the end of this past season, much to the chagrin of some of his veteran teammates. He eventually reappeared in the playoffs, but did not exactly help his cause by firing up Jimmy Butler in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The 24-year-old still averaged 25.9 minutes per game during the regular season, contributing 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He figures to have a robust market elsewhere.