Almost exactly two months removed from the NBA trade deadline, the Dallas Mavericks will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night in a game that should have mixed emotions.
Before the deadline, Dallas traded Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and a first-round pick from Charlotte for P.J. Washington, who was a defensive ace during his time with the team. Williams, who struggled during his short time in Dallas, remained relatively quiet after the move, but spoke to reporters on Tuesday about his trade and the Mavs' subsequent success.
“I'm just grateful to be on this team because I know this area so well. I love the guys. It's going to be cool,” Williams said of playing against the Mavs for the first time since the trade. Ta.
undefined
Jim Dedmon – USA TODAY Sports
“It's different because I was there for half the year compared to four years in Boston. I still have a relationship with them in Boston. It's going to be great, but it's not like I didn't go. ” ”
Mr Williams continued: ”[I haven’t been following the Mavs] It's very close, but I know Gafford…the Gafford version was huge. I think that was what the team needed most. He's a phenomenal addition to the team. He protects the paint, he protects the physical, he protects the motor, not just from a rebounding standpoint, but from a defensive standpoint. It's like Dwight Powell with his 7-foot frame and wingspan and ability to block shots. So it's really good for the team.”
Williams also offered his thoughts on Washington, saying he believes the former Hornets forward “deserves the ability to play on a contending team.”
“The funny thing is, I'm not saying I'm super close to PJ from a personal standpoint, but we've known each other since college,” Williams said. , and they talk all the time, so we all knew what was going to happen, and there were jokes the whole time like should we buy each other's houses? It was kind of silly, but it was really cool.
“I'm happy for him. He deserves the ability to play on a contending team. To be successful with a team like Dallas and be able to be at home near people who love and care about him; He has a lot to offer.”
While the breakup between the Mavs and Williams initially seemed rocky, there appear to be no hard feelings on either side. Both Williams and Washington seem to be a better fit with their new teams, and that's all that really matters going forward.
Washington, who spent the first four-and-a-half seasons of his career in Charlotte, will have stronger feelings than Williams on Tuesday. Because he'll be playing in front of the Hornets fan base that supported him and watched him grow. About half a year.
