Former Tennessee Vol and current Dallas Mavericks forward Grant Williams has been at the center of some trade rumors this week as the NBA trade deadline approaches on Thursday afternoon.
NBA analyst Marc Stein reported on Monday that the Mavericks seemingly shopped Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for forward Bobby Portis, but nothing has come to fruition as of this article’s publication.
The Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks have discussed a Grant Williams-Bobby Portis swap, per @TheSteinLine
“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… pic.twitter.com/iSyuTFKB5x
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 5, 2024
The Athletic’s Dallas Mavericks reporter Tim Cato said on The Only Mavericks Podcast that Williams has been the leading name that Dallas is revolving trade deals around before the end of the week.
The NBA trade deadline officially occurs at 3:00 p.m. ET this Thursday afternoon.
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Tim Cato says Grant Williams is in a lot/most of the Mavs trade proposals and discussions that Dallas is sending out.
— Jo (@MavsStan41) February 7, 2024
Williams is averaging 8.1 points per game this season, which is tied with the 2022-2023 season for his highest average scoring season so far. While Williams hasn’t regressed from a statistical standpoint going from Boston to Dallas, many around the Mavericks believed that Williams would take a significant step forward playing with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Williams is also averaging 3.6 rebounds per game and 1.7 assists per game in 47 games played this season.
Williams spent his first four years in Boston before joining the Mavericks this past offseason. The belief was that Williams’ defensive versatility and three-point shooting ability off of Doncic and Irving’s driving ability would add a new dynamic to the Mavericks on both ends. Unfortunately, though, it hasn’t quite worked out that way.
Prior to his time in the NBA, Grant Williams turned himself from a three-star prospect into a two-time SEC Player of the Year and a Tennessee legend during his four-year career on Rocky Top. Williams is Tennessee’s program leader in all-time box plus/minus at an impressive 8.9, leading current Vol point guard Zakai Zeigler (8.2) at the second slot.
Will Grant Williams end the season with the Mavericks or will he be on a new team come Thursday night? We’ll have to wait and find out. Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider throughout the week for more.
