The unfortunate situation of Hornets’ Grant Williams.
The NBA Finals clash between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks is particularly unfortunate for forward Grant Williams.
Williams was traded from the Mavericks to the Charlotte Hornets at this year’s trade deadline, in exchange for P.J. Washington, who has played a crucial role in Dallas’ playoff run. Notably, the Mavericks are just the second No. 5 seed in NBA history to reach the Finals, following the 2020 Miami Heat.
To make matters worse, the 25-year-old spent four seasons with the Celtics before joining the Mavericks. This means he spent five and a half of his six years in the league with teams currently in the Finals.
Technically, Williams could still receive a championship ring at Dallas’ discretion. The decision lies with the front office, as there is no set limit on the number of rings distributed. For instance, 2017 second-round draft pick Davon Reed received a ring from the Denver Nuggets despite being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers midseason.
Contrary to what many might assume, Williams appears less frustrated, as he responded to a post from Overtime stating, “He woke up sad as hell today,” with “Woke up feeling blessed. Both teams have great people and it was an honor to learn from them.”
Williams experienced the most individual success of his career in 29 appearances with the Hornets, averaging career highs in points (13.9), rebounds (5.1), and field goal percentage (50.3).
