Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla ‘Excited’ For Grant Williams Joining Mavericks

The Celtics departed with several members of last season’s team, including Grant Williams, who is slated to get a fresh start with the Mavericks.

Williams, who spent four seasons with Boston after being drafted 22nd overall by the C’s in 2019, was sent to Dallas in a sign-and-trade this offseason, pocketing a four-year, $54 million contract in the process. That’ll open a new door for Williams to inherit a role of greater responsibility than what Boston offered last season, prompting excitement within former head coach Joe Mazzulla.

“Anytime you get a guy and you have someone that’s been with you for three or four years, I think the No. 1 goal is to leave it better than you found it and I thought Grant did a great job of that,” Mazzulla told reporters Wednesday, per CLNS Media video. “And I’m excited for him to have an opportunity in Dallas, doing what he does best and I wish him nothing but the best and I appreciate also what he said.”

Mazzulla added: “There were a lot of relationships that I had as an assistant coach and he was a guy that I was able to get really close with over my few years here, along (with) a few others. And so, just grateful for who he is as a person and I’m excited for him as a player.”

During his time in Boston, Williams was never destined to shine like ex-teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but he didn’t need to. He provided a serviceable role, predominately knocking down corner three-pointers while also matching the physicality of opponents on the defensive end. As useful as fulfilling that role proved to be at times — like during Round 1 of the playoffs against the Brooklyn Nets in 2022 — it still didn’t warrant the C’s dishing out that kind of dough for a bench guy.

Last season, he averaged a career-best 8.1 points while shooting 45.4% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range, all on inconsistent minutes off the bench.

Upon arrival in Dallas, Williams gets the chance to add much-needed depth to a Mavericks team that’s failed to support star Luka Doncic for the past five seasons.

The Mavs have flirted with deep playoff contention, nearly facing the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals before falling short in the Western Conference finals to the Golden State Warriors. But, if proven to be effective, Williams could cross paths with the Celtics for banner-raising bragging rights down the line.