Grant Williams will receive a free agency offer sheet, most likely on Thursday, and Boston is aware of this.
That’s why they’ve been trying for a sign-and-trade for the forward, but their asking price of a first-round pick seems a little high.The Athletic’s Jared Weiss has the information.
Though most of the league’s cap space has been depleted by this point, the assumption with Williams has always been a sign-and-trade or midlevel exception (MLE). According to league sources, Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, New York, and Washington are all still in the running, with Williams eligible to sign an offer sheet on July 6. Once the sheet is signed, the Celtics have 24 hours to match.
Atlanta has been considered as a possible suitor for Williams, but he will have the option of signing with the team that provides the most money and/or wants him the most. Weiss expects Boston to match any offer up to the mid-level exception — presumably the highest offer that comes in — kicking off the true sign-and-trade conversations. However, neither team will give up a first-round pick in this situation; instead, it will be a few of seconds and a player.
Why has the Williams case dragged on? There’s a straightforward economical rationale behind this. To illustrate, consider the following example from Williams: If Atlanta extends an offer sheet to Williams on July 3, he will be unable to sign it and make it official until the signing moratorium expires on July 6, at which point Boston will have 24 hours to match. Whatever happens, the Hawks’ cap space will be restricted for four days as the market moves and other players are inked. Teams do not want to be caught off guard with their money locked up. It’s why teams don’t make offers on restricted free agents until the sixth.
This means that the Williams situation will most likely be resolved before the weekend. Whatever happens, Boston will not receive a first-round pick back.
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