Redrafting the 2019 NBA Draft: Injury concerns and flawed greatness

Grant Williams was egregiously underrated coming out of Tennessee and was destined to outperform his late-first-round draft position. The Celtics are another absurdly deep team, which means Williams can sometimes get buried beneath the avalanche of greatness on that roster. That said, the 23-year-old got to make his case on the biggest stage last season. He was an absolute wrecking ball in the playoffs, all the way up to and throughout the NBA Finals.

He belongs in the same group as Cameron Johnson and Brandon Clarke: an absolute stud role player who might never get enough credit for his excellence within the confines of his role. Williams is no star athlete and he won’t produce flashy numbers, but he’s a defensive tornado and a special connective player on offense.

At 6-foot-6, Williams is built like a linebacker. Defensively, he can switch all over the floor, stonewalling drivers at the point of attack with 236 pounds of muscle and active hands. He’s all over the place, yet always in the right place. On the offensive end, he prides himself on making the right decision. He’s a snappy and unselfish passer, head always on a swivel. He moves without the ball, sets strong and timely screens, and after struggling with his 3-point shot early in his career, Williams is now a downright prolific spot-up shooter. He’s the ideal complement to Boston’s gaggle of star playmakers.

You won’t find many higher-level role players. Williams doesn’t need the ball to impact winning. He’s comfortable operating behind the curtains but is capable of producing the occasional big night when called upon — mainly due to that improved 3-point shot. Defenses can’t ignore him and offenses dread him.