Grant Williams “rubbed a lot of people the wrong way” while he was with the Dallas Mavericks before the team traded him, Seth Curry, and a protected first-round pick in 2027 to the Charlotte Hornets for P.J. Washington, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon during Friday’s The Hoop Collective Podcast (15:30 mark).
However, Nico Harrison, the general manager and president of basketball operations for the Mavericks, told NBA reporter Marc Stein on Saturday that Williams’ criticism from Dallas-area fans following the move is unjust.
“Grant doesn’t deserve the negativity he’s getting on social media…” he stated. “He was a good teammate.”The Mavericks’ biggest summer acquisition, barring the signing of Kyrie Irving to a long-term contract, came this offseason when they acquired the 25-year-old Williams. In exchange for two second-round picks and Williams, they gave up Reggie Bullock, 2030 first-round picks, 2025 second-round picks, and 2030 second-round selections in a three-team trade with the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs.
He was then instantly signed by the Mavs to a $44 million, four-year contract.It didn’t work out, though. He only averaged 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, shooting 37.6 percent from three, in 47 games (33 starts). All of those fell within his recent career averages, but he didn’t make the kind of breakthrough Dallas was hoping for.
“The fact that they gave up a 2030 swap for Williams and then dumped him as soon as they possibly could—they were determined to dump him,” MacMahon said in the show on Friday. It goes beyond only reaching Washington. Their desire was to leave the Williams company.”
In contrast, the Mavericks, who are 29-23, obviously felt that changes had to be made before this Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
“When you’re not playing up [to] the expectations you had coming into the season, then you have to make those types of changes,” Harrison stated to Stein.Washington, 25, ought to fit in Dallas more comfortably. Despite his lackluster outside shooting (32.4 percent from three) this season, he is averaging 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. But with Luka Dončić’s gravity, many of those looks will be much more open for Washington in Dallas.
In addition to being an offensive enhancement, he should also help offset Williams’ decreased playing time if the Mavs can convince him to step up his defense. Ultimately, it appears that Williams and the Mavericks weren’t a good fit, even if Harrison played down this idea.
