Williams was released by the two teams that reached the NBA Finals that year. Boston decided to let him go when he became a free agent last summer. The Mavericks acquired him in a sign-and-trade, only to let him go before the deadline. Dallas traded Williams to get a key player for its run in PJ Washington.

Williams was awful in Dallas. He had a minus-0.4 VORP rating in 47 games and things were clearly not going well. Williams was much better in Charlotte and has three years left on his contract.

The 25-year-old helped the Celtics reach the Conference Finals three times in four years. He has playoff experience and knows how to help a contender. Williams spreads the court, defends multiple positions and can make plays. He could be a key player on any other unit and should attract interest if the Hornets release him.

Grant Williams is the third-highest-paid player on the Charlotte Hornets’ roster for the 2024-25 season. He could become a key salary forward with a major transfer. The franchise needs to put the right players together around LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. If Williams struggles again, he could be on a different roster after the February 6 trade deadline.