Grade the Trade: Mavericks land Grant Williams in three-team trade

Yesterday, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported a three-team deal involving the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, and San Antonio Spurs.

The Mavs sent Reggie Bullock to the Spurs and received Grant Williams from the Celtics. The Mavs and Celtics each received two second-round picks. And finally, a 2030 first-round pick swap between Dallas and San Antonio was included in the deal heading to the Spurs.

Due to Williams being a restricted free agent, the Mavs acquired Williams on a four-year $54 million deal via sign-and-trade.

Dallas came into the offseason looking to reshape their roster after failing to reach the playoffs in the 2022-23 season. They began the offseason by drafting Dereck Lively II with the 12th overall pick.

In doing so, they traded down from 10 to acquire the 12th choice. With this move, the Mavs sent out Davis Bertans and his $17 million per year contract to the Thunder.

As the night went on, Dallas traded back into the draft, acquiring the 24th pick and Richaun Holmes from the Kings. That spot was used to select Olivier-Maxence Prosper from Marquette, a defensive-minded wing.

As soon as free agency began, the Mavs re-signed Kyrie Irving to a 3-year $126 million pact. In the following days, Dallas re-signed Dwight Powell and signed both Seth Curry and Dante Exum.

Still, without a veteran forward, the Mavs hit the trade market to acquire now-former-Celtic Williams. Now with Williams on the roster, let's take a look at how the Mavs fared in acquiring Williams.

Also, we'll dissect the trade and see what grade the other two teams deserve in the deal.

The Mavs get their defensive wing, Spurs add a veteran

The Mavs have added their preferred free-agent wing defender Grant Williams. With the addition of Williams, Dallas sent out forward Reggie Bullock to San Antonio.

Going into the offseason, General Manager Nico Harrison made it clear that the Mavs would prioritize adding defensive-minded players. This trade accomplishes part of Harrison's goal, as Williams is a stout defender.

Although Bullock himself is labeled as a "3-and-D" wing, Williams is eight years younger than Bullock and can do something on the defensive end that Bullock cannot - guard bigger power forwards and centers.

Furthermore, Williams is nearly as accurate of a three-point marksman as Bullock. Williams is a career 37.9% three-point shooter, while Bullock sits at 38.4% for his career. Although Bullock attempts more threes per game, Williams' percentage should remain relatively similar upon increased volume playing next to All-Stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Sure, Williams has played with stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but he's never played with a player who has Doncic's passing acumen. Williams actually shot better on wide-open threes (no defender within 6+ feet) than Bullock last season. Williams shot 41.2%, while Bullock shot 37.6%.

The Williams for Bullock swap is by no means a downgrade in shooting for the Mavericks. However, Williams' shooting isn't the most important aspect of his play. His defensive versatility is.

The Celtics, at risk of losing Williams for nothing, made a play by shipping off Williams and receiving a few second-rounders as compensation. After the trade, the Celtics have managed to stay below the Second Apron of $182 million, as their current cap figure is about $177 million.

Next, we'll look at each team's grade in the three-team deal.

Grading the trade for the Dallas Mavericks

Adding Grant Williams checked off one box of the Mavs' offseason wishlist. Dallas has been in search of adding defensive talent since dealing Dorian Finney-Smith to the Nets in the Kyrie Irving trade. The addition of Williams solidifies the Mavs' need for a defensive-minded forward.

The Mavs' need for defense was apparent after the 2022-23 season. Dallas finished with a bottom-six defensive rating last season. The 2021-22 season was a different story, as the Mavs finished with the seventh best defensive rating in the NBA.

Revitalizing the Dallas defense is essential to once again making a deep playoff run. With stars like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving shouldering the offensive burden, filling out the rest of the roster with defense-first players like Grant Williams is necessary.

Williams is a versatile player who fits in any lineup. He could fill in at either forward or play center in a pinch. The Mavs could trot out Williams next to Kleber, Hardaway Jr., or Green at forward. Better yet, to finish games, the Mavs could use Williams at center. Something Bullock was incapable of doing.

Potential starting lineup: Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., Grant Williams, Dwight Powell

Dallas gets an A for this trade. Williams is a great addition to the Mavs roster. He fits the bill as a 3-and-D forward. Also, Williams' contract is right near market value. ESPN projected Williams to receive between $12 and $14 million. Meanwhile, other players of similar or arguably lesser value, like Dillon Brooks, received a contracts worth around $20 million per year.

The Mavs got a solid player, for a fair value, without giving up too much in the process. What more can you ask for?

Grading the trade for the San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs aided the Mavs and Celtics in facilitating a three-team trade by taking on veteran Reggie Bullock. The Mavs wanted Grant Williams, and the Celtics preferred to shed some salary and receive some type of compensation for Williams. Thus, the Spurs swooped in to help the trade come to fruition.

Whilst helping push this trade through, San Antonio received Bullock. The Spurs have plenty of cap room, as they are near the minimum salary cap limit now with the addition of Bullock. Taking on Bullock and his $10 million is minimal in the grand scheme of things.

Adding Bullock to the young Spurs team is a nice touch, as he is now the most experienced player on the active roster. Bullock, with his respectable three-point shooting stroke, is beneficial for the young Spurs, as they fielded the 5th worst 3-point shooting percentage in the association last season.

Additionally, any shooting added to a lineup including Victor Wembanyama is a plus. Giving Wembanyama the utmost room to operate will allow him to fully build on his offensive arsenal in the NBA.

Potential starting lineup: Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, Victor Wembanyama

The Spurs receive a B- for this trade. They were minor players in the deal, so it didn't really affect their roster or their future plans. However, adding a veteran like Bullock is useful. And, the Spurs still have a sizable amount of cap space to work with after the trade.

The 2030 first-round pick swap is a nice touch, as the Spurs are hoping to be drafting near the end of the first round for years to come after drafting a generational talent in Wembanyama.

Grading the trade for the Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are certainly making big changes to their roster after failing to make a repeat NBA Finals appearance.

First, the Celtics dealt franchise stalwart and former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart in a three-team deal to the Memphis Grizzlies. In doing so, Boston received former Maverick Kristaps Porzingis.

And with yesterday's trade news, another valuable defender is gone from the Celtics roster. Boston's bread and butter has been defense over the past few seasons. In 2021-22, they finished with the highest defensive rating, and in 2022-23 they finished 2nd.

It's fair to wonder what the Celtics are doing. Sure, Williams may have wanted to sign with the Mavs, but he was a restricted free agent, so the Celtics could match any offer that came his way to retain his services.

All in all, Boston may be searching for bigger fish or setting their sights on the future with a Jaylen Brown extension looming.

Ultimately, this trade was a cost-cutting move. If Williams was retained, it would have raised the Celtics' luxury tax penalty this season by over $40 million. Additionally, with the trade, the Celtics will have a trade exception worth 50% of Williams' first-year salary.

Potential starting lineup: Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, Robert Williams III

The Celtics receive a C for this trade. Salary cap issues aside, Williams could have taken over Smart's role as the C's go-to defender. Now, with Williams out of town, the Celtics will place the burden on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to handle the opposing team's best forwards.