The Boston Celtics signed Amari Williams to a two-way deal, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. That news seemed imminent after they waived Miles Norris, paving a path to bring this year's 46th overall pick on board.
Boston's latest move means the organization has officially signed its draft class. Williams and fellow second-round selection Max Shulga are on two-way contracts. First-round pick Hugo Gonzalez is, of course, on a standard deal.
Williams was a second-round pick for a reason, and Celtics fans must demonstrate patience with his development. However, he has an intriguing two-way skill set that could make him a meaningful part of the team's future rotation at center.
"He's got the potential to be an elite-level defensive player," Mark Pope, Williams's head coach at Kentucky, told this author in an exclusive interview.
Offensively, the point guard skills he retained through his growth spurts, which transformed him into a seven-foot center, have made him a dimes deliverer who can facilitate the offense.
"We spent the last two months of the season without our starting point guard, our backup point guard, and our third-string point guard, who was our starting two," said Pope. "We lost all of them. And so Amari had this massive burden of kind of righting the ship. We saved ourselves by putting the ball in his hands."
The former Wildcats standout can also bring the ball up the floor to initiate the offense. It's a tool that allows those who primarily have that responsibility to start without it, creating numerous ways to put the defense in a bind.
Studying Nikola Jokic
The Denver Nuggets star center isn't just the top player at his position; he's currently the best player in the NBA. It would be more shocking if Williams weren't studying him.
Beyond the fact that Williams, like Jokic, is a skilled offensive facilitator who sees the floor well, what he's studying about the three-time league MVP is "Passing and being patient. I feel like it's easy to throw passes right away, but we [have] got to see the game out," Williams told this author during an exclusive interview. "Take your time with a lot of things. So, I'll say patience and deciding when to throw the right pass."
Williams will likely spend most of his time with the Celtics' G League affiliate in Maine this season. However, from his facilitating to utilizing his seven-foot-five wingspan to protect the cylinder, he has the tools to help address Boston's most glaring position of need.
Expecting the rookie to do so in his first year in the professional ranks may lead to disappointment. However, like Shulga, drafting Williams was a move that could pay off in the long run.