NBA Rumors: Up-And-Coming Team Interested In Grant Williams?

It’s unclear the amount of interest Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams will draw this summer as he enters restricted free agency for the first time in his NBA career.

But it appears one up-and-coming team in the Eastern Conference could make a play for Williams given the ample cap space available to them.

Heavy’s Sean Deveney reported Tuesday the Orlando Magic could make Williams a potential free agent target. The Magic will have at least $25 million in cap room — which could balloon to $60 million if they make a few moves — and might use the money to add a 3-and-D player like Williams, who also offers versatility on the defensive end to a team budding with young talent that missed the play-in tournament by six games.

“He is 24, he has proven his chops, on both ends,” a Western Conference executive told Deveney. “You can’t coach that kind of experience. He’s got it. He is a perfect fit there. You want to become a playoff team, he is the kind of guy they’d want. But Orlando would have to overpay to get him and it is tough to expect a team to do that. Obviously, if you are Williams, you want to see the Magic being aggressive on the market.”

Even with the Celtics being able to match any offer Williams receives this offseason, he certainly will want to see what his value is in free agency. Williams and the Celtics couldn’t come to terms on a contract extension prior to the 2022-23 season, with Williams reportedly looking for a deal that would pay him $20 million per year.

Despite that bump in the road and the Magic potentially eyeing Williams, NBA executives still believe the most likely outcome for the 24-year-old is for him to wind up back with Boston.

But it wouldn’t be a surprise if Williams’ mood soured on the Celtics. After notching career-highs with 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in the regular season, while shooting 45.4% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range, Williams saw his role greatly diminished in the postseason. He registered five DNPs in the playoffs, including in the first game of the Eastern Conference finals before averaging 24.8 minutes per game over the final six contests of the series.

With a decision on his hands this summer, Williams might end up back with the Celtics, but he’ll surely be listening if the Magic come calling when players can start negotiating with teams beginning June 30.