Grant Williams joined the Dallas Mavericks this past offseason, and it’s safe to say he has enjoyed the experience of playing alongside Luka Doncic. Williams recently spoke to The Ringer about just how easy Doncic makes things on the court for him.
“Luka kind of sets you up where you don’t have to do much—just eat a bag of popcorn, knock down some open shots, and move on,” Williams said.
Doncic does in theory make life very easy for 3-and-D players like Williams. He just draws so much attention from opposing defenses, and when the double team comes, the 24-year-old readily kicks out to the open man.
We have seen the Slovenian at his best this season, as he is averaging 34.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 9.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. Doncic is very much in the MVP conversation, but his case is hurt by the fact that the Mavericks are the eighth seed with a 28-23 record.
Injuries are a big reason why Dallas hasn’t had the greatest of seasons so far, but Williams’ ineffectiveness hasn’t helped matters either. The 25-year-old is averaging 8.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting 41.3% from the field and 37.7% from beyond the arc.
He hasn’t quite knocked down those open shots on a consistent basis, and Williams hasn’t had the impact on the defensive end that the Mavericks would have liked either. It is why despite landing him on a four-year, $53 million sign-and-trade deal, they have relegated him to a role off the bench.
The Mavericks Have Held Talks With The Bucks On A Grant Williams Trade
The February 8 trade deadline is fast approaching, and with Williams having failed to live up to expectations, the Mavericks have explored the possibility of shipping him out of town. They and the Milwaukee Bucks discussed a Williams-Bobby Portis swap deal, as per NBA insider Marc Stein.
“The Bucks and Mavericks, league sources say, have held exploratory discussions on a trade that would swap Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis Jr. and Dallas newcomer Grant Williams,” Stein wrote. “It is not yet known if the talks will progress to something more serious. Williams’ first season in Dallas has been undeniably disappointing, but his ability to guard a wide variety of players is said to intrigue Milwaukee, which is known to be searching for defensive upgrades.”
The Bucks have struggled mightily on defense, but as I said earlier, Williams hasn’t exactly excelled on that end of the floor this season. He would be an upgrade on what they have right now, though.
As for the Mavericks’ side of this deal, Portis, who is averaging 12.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game this season, certainly wouldn’t help them on defense, but his rebounding prowess could come in handy. Dallas is averaging 41.5 rebounds per game this season, which ranks 25th in the NBA, and Portis would improve them in that regard.
It appears, however, that the Mavericks would have to give up more than just Williams to get this deal over the line. Stein later reported that the Bucks are unwilling to do a straight swap.
That’s understandable as well, as Williams’ stock isn’t all that high at the moment. I think the Mavericks would just be better off keeping him in the hope that he has a relatively strong end to the season. They could then get more in return for him than they would right now.
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