KJG proposal sees Boston Celtics give up Grant Williams for two wings, picks
King James Gospel’s Josh Cornelissen played off the recent Boston Celtics trade intel indicating Grant Williams could be available ahead of the February 9 trade deadline in his latest “Grade the Trade” piece.
CelticsBlog’s Keith Smith had recently heard from one unnamed source that Williams could be asking for $18 to $20 million annually in restricted free agency this summer, possibly accelerating the timetable to part ways with him in order to recoup value.
Cornelissen’s offer for Williams is reasonable, giving the Cs two draft picks to reroute in another deal if need be while replacing the depth his departure will inevitably create with two wings — one who is defensive-minded and one who could add playmaking to Boston’s bench:
Why the Boston Celtics do it
Let’s be clear here: the Boston Celtics only consider making this trade if Williams has already established the parameters for his next deal and Brad Stevens and co. are unwilling to meet those demands. In that scenario, the Cs would do well to bring back draft capital for him while also landing wings who can step in and contribute from the jump.
Cedi Osman isn’t spectacular, but he shoots around the league average and can rebound and distribute from either forward spot. Lamar Stevens is a bit one-dimensional offensively but can provide defense in spurts.
Including Williams in a bigger deal would likely bring back the best return, but this is far from a steal on the Cavs’ part. In fact, if Williams isn’t returning, bringing back two cost-controlled wings and two future seconds is a major victory.
Why the Cleveland Cavaliers do it
Williams would be a bit of a departure from the rest of the Cavaliers’ frontcourt filled with seven-footers, but he’d be a nice change-of-pace as opposed to sticking out like a sore thumb. With Kevin Love out of the rotation, and likely out of the picture by the buyout deadline, Williams would have a built-in role as a shooting 4 with secondary playmaking abilities.