Report: Pacers have interest in Grant Williams

Final summer season, Grant Williams and the Boston Celtics have been unable to agree phrases for a contract extension, and now, the Tennesse product might be a restricted free agent this summer season. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Indiana Pacers are anticipated to be ‘within the combine’ for Williams this summer season.

“The Pacers are anticipated to be one workforce within the combine for restricted free agent Grant Williams as properly,” Fischer reported.

As a restricted free agent, the Celtics may have the flexibility to match any supply sheet that Williams indicators, though they seemingly have a quantity in thoughts and won’t need to go an excessive amount of increased than that. In line with a Feb. 14 report from Marc Stein, Williams got here into the 2022 low season trying to earn round $20 million per yr.

After a tumultuous 2022-23 season, it’s extremely unlikely that Williams will fetch that type of wage within the free-agent market, which might permit the Celtics to retain considered one of their key contributors long-term. Until, in fact, a cap house workforce decides that Williams is strictly who they want and makes a proposal that Boston wouldn’t really feel snug matching.

Photograph by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE through Getty Pictures

Williams, 24, has developed into one of many higher three-and-d choices within the NBA during the last two years. Defensively, Williams has confirmed able to holding his personal towards a few of the league’s elite large males, together with present NBA champion Nikola Jokic, incomes him the self-given nickname of Batman.

But, throughout Boston’s most up-to-date postseason run, Williams discovered himself struggling to carry down a constant position within the rotation. There have been moments the place we noticed a real flooring spacer and defensive wing stopper, and others the place Williams was simply one other physique to throw on the market and see how issues went.

Nonetheless, now we have since came upon that Williams was taking part in by damage and has undergone surgical procedure to treatment the problem forward of subsequent season. Nonetheless, we noticed what Williams can convey to the courtroom throughout the early a part of the season when he flashed an improved offensive recreation that included scoring off the dribble. Williams additionally a high-level change defender, able to guarding a number of positions on the courtroom.

The Indiana Pacers will seemingly be one of many a number of rebuilding groups that present flirting glances in the direction of Williams this summer season, as many might view him as a possible tradition setter attributable to his fierce aggressive nature and willingness to sacrifice for the workforce.

Nonetheless, those self same values would be the purpose why the Celtics look to maintain considered one of their homegrown stars for years to return; all that must be found out is the cash. In any case, if Williams actually values profitable, he’s already in the precise place.