Celtics trade away infamous playoff player

Dec 16, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla watches from the sideline as they take on the Orlando Magic at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Just weeks after Marcus Smart was sent packing by the Boston Celtics, another long-tenured Celtics is headed for the exits as well.

The Celtics have agreed to send veteran forward Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade, according to multiple reports on Wednesday. Williams will be getting a new four-year, $54 million contract as part of the deal. The San Antonio Spurs are also part of the three-team agreement and will be receiving sharpshooter Reggie Bullock plus some additional compensation.

Here are the full trade details:

-Mavericks: receive Williams and two second-round picks

-Celtics: receive two second-round picks

-Spurs: receive Bullock and an unprotected Dallas pick swap in 2030

NBA writer Marc Stein adds that the Mavericks are now hard-capped at the first luxury tax apron with the Williams acqusition. However, they still have their midlevel exception for further use in free agency.

Dallas badly needs long and versatile two-way role players like Williams. He is a 37.9 percent career three-point shooter who can do a bunch of the dirty work for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The Mavs are also trying to acquire another gritty complementary piece on the free agent market right now.

As for the Celtics, they drafted Williams in 2019 and had employed him for the last four seasons (a span that produced three trips to the conference finals and one to the NBA Finals). But perhaps Williams had worn out his welcome in Beantown with the big L that he took in the playoffs this year.