Mavs Assistant GM Shares Humiliating Memory About Loud-Mouthed Grant Williams
Former Mavericks forward Grant Williams was shipped out of Dallas after less than a season for reportedly becoming a locker room pariah over his constant babbling.
Williams' 'playful' trash talk reportedly started rubbing teammates and personnel the wrong way, including Mavs star Luka Doncic.
Now, a new story from within the organization corroborates Grant Williams' status as a locker-room nuisance.
Dallas Mavericks assistant general manager Michael Finley spoke on the ex-Mav, sharing a story about Williams' trash-talking against Luka Doncic during a Mavs practice, which set Williams up to be embarrassed before the team.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - OCTOBER 25: Grant Williams #3 and Kyrie Irving #2 of the Dallas Mavericks react during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on October 25, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Finley hesitated to call out Grant Williams … until Finley seemingly remembered the player's bad rep in Dallas and disclosed the moment that made Williams unpopular.
LISTEN:
"One day in practice, … he decided that he wanted to get under Luka’s skin. He felt that Luka didn’t come that day ready to practice," Finley shared on 105.3 The Fan.
The assistant GM continued, "They had a scrimmage going, and he’s talking trash to Luka up and down the court. So finally, Luka says, ‘O.K.'
"And I’ll tell you, Luka went on a 26-6 run by himself. … He showed everything, the 3s, the post-up, the floaters, everything, by himself.
"And everybody on the sideline, including the coaches, were like, ‘Do not poke the bear.’ And we had guests in the gym at the time, and they’re on the sidelines oohing and ahhing. It was unbelievable."
Williams talked too much game and couldn't back it up. As a result, the former Celtic and Mav now plays for the Charlotte Hornets, a team far from contention but ideal for 'abnormal' personalities in the locker room.
Finley isn't the only person outing Williams for his constant jawing. According to ESPN-Mavs insider Tim MacMahon, the Williams acquisition aged like milk within the organization because of his ‘obnoxious’ character.
MacMahon shared his insight on the Grant Williams fallout in Dallas with Brian Windhorst, noting that Williams' lack of production only chipped away at Dallas' limited tolerance for the player.
"I would say one of the ways that Grant Williams rubbed people the wrong way [was] the yap, yap, yapping. Obviously, that's kind of part of it with him," MacMahon shared.
Williams previously got away with his ‘yapping’ in Boston because of his contributions as a 3-and-D player. After losing some of that sheen in Dallas, Williams became too much of a distraction to keep.
"It's charmingly obnoxious if he's productive, and it's grating when he's not," MacMahon added. "He didn't report in good shape, and Grant Williams not in good shape is not a good defender."
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 19: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat exchanges words with Grant Williams #12 of the Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 19, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 24: Grant Williams #12 of the Boston Celtics reacts as he leaves (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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