The Dallas Mavericks' sign-and-trade acquisition of Grant Williams this past offseason was considered a genius move and ranked among the team's top summer moves. After all, the former Boston Celtic was supposed to fill a hole on the Mavs' roster and address some of their weaknesses.
Unfortunately, his short stint in Dallas was disappointing. He was unable to maintain his strong start and was in and out of the starting lineup. The organization released Williams at the trade deadline, opting to send him to the Charlotte Hornets for promising forward P.J. Washington.
It appears this trade wasn't just about landing in Washington, as Williams may have worn out his welcome in Dallas.
Mavs insider Tim McMahon appeared on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast and revealed that the former No. 22 pick may have talked about leaving the team. McMahon said Williams “rubbed people the wrong way” by going “yup, yup, yup.”
The problem is, the Mavs probably knew that “Batman” had a tendency to slip up before bringing him on. He even had an infamous clash with Jimmy Butler in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. The Miami Heat star later admitted that it intensified his competitive nature. After the altercation, the Heat improved to 2-0 against the Celtics, 24-9.
Still, even if Williams didn't shut up, Dallas would have been fine if they could back it up with fine play. After all, he was reportedly “not feeling well” when he joined the team. The 25-year-old veteran also failed to consistently perform in a 3-D role, which was the main motivation for the franchise to spend more than $50 million on him. Perhaps his lack of optimal conditioning contributed to his subpar production.
If McMahon's report is accurate, it probably didn't take the Mavs long to recover from seeing Williams in a different uniform. It also helps that Washington has played solidly and Dallas is 4-0 since the trade.
Mavs coach Jason Kidd already has Washington in the starting lineup, and he's improving as a defender.
Williams has also played well for the Hornets, who are 3-0 since signing the deal. While he said he relished the opportunity to wear a suit in Charlotte, where he spent his childhood, he also seemed to secretly criticize his former employer.
Grant Williams is enjoying playing for the Charlotte Hornets
“It's great to get a win for the city and play with a jersey that goes over your chest instead of your back. Everyone touched the ball and trusted each other.” pic.twitter.com/b7ay8gOdbq
— NBA Central (@TheDunkCentral) February 12, 2024
Interestingly, he will miss the postseason for the first time in his career, as the Hornets are ranked near the bottom of the East. As for Dallas, they are in the thick of playoff contention and appear poised to take a shot at one of the West's top six seeds, especially since they are currently on a six-game winning streak.
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