Mavericks' next free agency crisis is already brewing behind closed doors

There is no denying that Brandon Williams has been one of the Dallas Mavericks' most impressive young players; however, despite the 26-year-old truly shining in a bigger role this season, questions about his future with the team have already begun to emerge.

Williams is set to be a restricted free agent this coming summer, and with how well he has been playing, there may be a high chance a team could throw some big money at Williams, which may force the Mavericks to think twice about re-signing him.

Williams has been an impressive addition to Dallas' rotation since he had some of his biggest breakout moments after Kyrie went down with a torn ACL. Now, with Irving's return to the hardwood being closer than ever, Williams may still lose minutes, but this won't subtract from the attention he is getting from other teams.

Brandon Williams' career in Dallas may be over before fans realize

The 26-year-old has already proven he can be a valuable guard off the bench when a team needs an offensive punch, and with his wicked speed with the ball in his hands, Williams makes himself a must-watch player. He has quickly become one of the Mavericks' rising stars, but before his career can truly blossom, the Mavericks may be forced to watch the young guard walk and join another team.

Just last season, Williams was already looking like one of the two-way contract steals of the year as he was emerging as Dallas' No. 1 scoring option off the bench after Kyrie Irving tore his ACL in early March. With this in mind, the Mavericks finally signed Williams to the team's final standard contract spot, which meant he could suit up for Dallas' two play-in games for a chance to make the playoffs, where the former Portland Trail Blazer would shine in both games.

Not only did it become increasingly clear from that point on that Williams was going to be a major piece of what the Mavericks were trying to build around Cooper Flagg, but to start this season, Williams has truly begun to find his groove. For fans, it's been exciting to see Williams turn into one of the team's most important bench additions, but the question has quickly been asked about whether or not he can be a realistic long-term piece for the Mavericks, and the short answer is probably not.

Williams is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of this season, and while many fans have fallen in love with Williams' skill on the floor, he may be too expensive to keep on the roster for a team looking to shed as much long-term salary to build around Flagg. On the bright side, the Mavericks have the opportunity to match any offer that is thrown Williams' way due to his restricted status, but this may also mean that Williams could get a boatload of money to entice Dallas not to throw a matching offer his way.

The Mavericks already have a lot to think about when it comes to the future of the franchise, and adding Williams' future status to that list may be too much for fans begging for a roster shakeup.