Report: ‘Over half a dozen teams' have inquired about Celtics' Grant Williams

Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams appears to be a coveted player with NBA free agency beginning in less than two weeks.

The Athletic's Jared Weiss reported Wednesday that "There have been over half a dozen teams who have inquired about a potential sign-and-trade deal for Williams, league sources told The Athletic. Williams turned down an extension offer around the projected $12.2 million mid-level exception (MLE) before last season and in spite of a tumultuous year in and out of the rotation, there appears to be a market brewing that could push his value beyond the MLE most teams above the cap could offer."

Williams, who was a 2019 first-round draft pick, has developed into a solid 3-and-D wing who can defend multiple positions and hit around 40 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. He averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range last season.

Which specific teams could be interested in Williams? Previous reports have linked Williams to the Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers and the Orlando Magic.

ESPN NBA front office insider Bobby Marks joined NBC Sports Boston's Celtics Talk Podcast earlier this month to discuss what Williams' next contract might look like, and if any team could go as high as $17-plus million annually in that deal.

"So I think if you're Boston, four years and $48 million (for Williams), does that make sense for you? Because I think you could always move it down the road," Marks said. "Just because you sign a guy doesn't mean that you're stuck with him here. Do I think a team would come in and offer him $17 million or $18 million? It's a rich number, right? It's a big number here. So I think the non-tax midlevel number is probably the starter number. And then I just think there's going to be a walk away number, right? There has to be a walk away number here. I don't know if it's going to come in free agency.

"I don't know if there's a $17 million number out there unless you're a team that gets shut out from the Kyrie Irvings and the James Hardens and the Fred VanVleets. There are a handful of teams that have that $12.2 million number, the non-tax number, Cleveland and Sacramento and teams like that. Charlotte, potentially, has that number to go in and do an offer sheet, but that's the most they could do. So if you're Boston and you come in and that starting number is $12.2 million, it's not a bad number. And I know what the concern is in 2024 when a Jaylen Brown supermax could start, but it's still a pretty good number and a guy that can help you."

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Williams is a solid player who can start or come off the bench. He's improved quite a bit since his rookie campaign, too. It would be great for the Celtics if he came back because they need outside shooting from their frontcourt.

But with the new CBA on the horizon, it will be important for teams like the Celtics not to overpay to retain role players.