Grant Williams must’ve forgotten Boston traded him: Former Celtic seen in locker room after NBA Finals
By Lior Lampert
Boston Celtics fans are rejoicing, while the Dallas Mavericks faithful are wallowing in sadness after the 2024 NBA Finals. But if you're Grant Williams, you lose either way.
Now a member of the Charlotte Hornets, Williams played for both the Celtics and Mavs over the past two seasons. Boston shipped him to Dallas last offseason as part of a three-team sign-and-trade transaction. After 47 games in D-Town, he was re-routed to the Queen City.
Despite now not being on either squad in the championship, Williams was present at TD Garden on Monday as a spectator. Not only was he in attendance when the Celtics clinched the title, but he was spotted in Boston's locker room celebrating with his former teammates.
Grant Williams, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams, and Harry Giles in the Celtics locker room celebrating 🏆
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 18, 2024
(via @TomerAzarly) pic.twitter.com/fV2ejC4Fb1
Grant Williams seen in Celtics locker room with former teammates after NBA Finals
Did someone fail to remind Williams that he no longer represents the Celtics (or the Mavs)? Once viewed as a crucial 3-and-D forward for a perennial contender like Boston, he is now on one of the worst squads in the Association. Seeing his teammates hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy the year after he skips town must be a bittersweet feeling.
Williams reached the Eastern Conference Finals in three of his four seasons with Boston, including a trip to the 2023 Finals. Alas, he and the Celtics failed to get over the hump during his tenure.
It was a disappointing (albeit brief) stint in Dallas for Williams. He saw his statistical production drop notably across the board before getting dealt to the Hornets ahead of this year's trade deadline. The Mavericks acquired P.J. Washington in the swap, who proved to be a vital addition in the playoffs.
A Charlotte native, Williams' career comes full circle now that he is a Hornet. Nonetheless, he presumably wouldn't have minded being a champion in Boston or even a runner-up with a competitive Dallas group. Instead, he finds himself playing for a cellar dweller and envisioning what could've been in an alternate universe.
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