According to NBA rumors, Grant Williams may have already played his last game for the Boston Celtics. This is after the 24-year-old has been linked to a move away from Bean Town this summer. As it turns out, there is no shortage of suitors for his services. Boston has reportedly revealed their asking price in a potential trade, which given the current climate in the market, might just turn off interested parties.
Boston Slaps Grant Williams With Lofty Price Tag Amid Trade Rumors
For starters, Williams is currently a restricted free agent. Boston has already given him a qualifying offer of $8.4 million, but come Thursday, Grant will be free to speak with other teams to find a better deal. If he finds one, he can opt to sign an offer sheet, which Boston will then have to match withing 24 hours.
According to a report by Jared Weiss of The Athletic, the path Boston seems to be headed to on the Grant front is either a sign-and-trade or a mid-level exception. There are no shortage of teams that are reportedly “still in the mix” for the 6-foot-6 power forward with the Atlanta Hawks, the Charlotte Hornets, the Dallas Mavericks, the New York Knicks, and the Washington Wizards all being named as potential landing spots for him.
According to Weiss, Boston is demanding a first-round pick in exchange for Williams. That’s a pretty high price to pay for a player who averaged 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 25.9 minutes per game last season. There’s no denying that the former Tennessee standout has a lot of upside, but opposing teams don’t seem ready to give up a first-rounder for him.
Boston, Milwaukee Set To Battle Again For East Supremacy
With or without Grant in the mix next season, Boston is still expected to be one of the favorites to go all the way — just like they have been throughout the past few years. The same is the case for the Milwaukee Bucks, who much like Boston, have also made a handful of significant moves to fortify their roster in the offseason.
Last term, Milwaukee and Boston finished first and second in the East, respectively, with the Bucks edging out their conference rivals by just one game. Boston actually held the top spot for most of the season, only for the Bucks to come surging during the final stretch. We expect another close season-long battle between these two sides in 2023-24, and it wouldn’t be a shock if they finish No. 1 and No. 2 again this coming campaign.
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