Mavs' Grant Williams Gives Brutally Honest Evaluation of His Season: 'Not Good'

Mavs forward Grant Williams admits his season has been "not good" after joining the organization as the focus of a three-team sign-and-trade.

DALLAS — When the Dallas Mavericks moved to acquire Grant Williams in a three-team sign-and-trade, it was perceived as being the most impactful free agency addition the team made. Many expected it to be more immediately impactful than Dereck Lively II's draft selection, which has since majorly exceeded early projections.

Williams has gone from being one of the Mavs' three confirmed starters in training camp and having a solid start to the season to being moved to the bench and having a down year. He's averaged 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 38 games, shooting 41.3 percent from the floor, 36.9 percent from 3-point range, and 70.5 percent on free throws. A clear focus has emerged for the Mavs to upgrade at power forward with the midseason trade deadline looming.

"Not good," Williams admitted about his performance this season. 

The strong start Williams achieved should not be understated. He scored in double figures during six of his initial eight games, averaging 14.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while shooting 52.9 percent from the floor and the perimeter. At the time, he felt so good about his level of play; he said, "50 percent [shooting from 3] is still not good enough for me. I have to be able to step up even more."

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It has been a significant decline for Williams' production since that effective start, averaging 6.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in his previous 30 games. His scoring efficiency has tanked, too, shooting 37.0 percent overall and 30.4 percent from deep — resulting in Derrick Jones Jr. stepping into the starting four job, with options like Dante Exum, Josh Green, and Tim Hardaway Jr. at the three at times. 

Regarding the difficulty adjusting to a new team, Williams clarified it's nothing about the Mavs organization. He appreciates the help he's received in preparing for a new environment but is still learning to make the most of his impact within the defensive system and offensively when his shot isn't falling. 

“The difficulty hasn’t been in anything the Mavs have done,” Williams said. “They’ve done a phenomenal job of trying to prepare me and get me accustomed and really feel comfortable as a home. 

"For me, it is understanding the defensive system, understanding how to make an impact even when I’m not the shooting the ball the way I was at the start of the year. I’ve done that in the past couple of weeks," Williams explained. 

Williams has dealt with a few injuries this season, but he's not interested in making excuses about his performance. If he's suiting up, there is no room to make excuses. Instead, he understands that he must bring everything possible to the team to help achieve victories.  

“Everybody goes through something. I've seen people play through things then they had to get surgery on,' Williams said. "I played through a finger surgery. I didn't have to realize I had to get through six months last year. You know, it's going to happen. ... You can’t complain about it unless you choose to sit your butt down. So I’m just gonna go out there and give everything I have.

“You’ve got to stay disciplined, keep the work, and keep being mindful of every little thing that’s going on," Williams explained. "No matter the health, no matter what’s going on off the floor, you have to approach every single day like it could be your last. No matter if I’m 100, 60, or 50 percent, I’m going to give this team all I have. If it’s 50, hopefully, that 50 was valuable enough to help us get a win.”

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As he puts in extra work to get back on track, Williams remains confident that his daily process will result in sufficient execution. Regardless, he remains focused on making his presence felt on defense, knowing there will be an ebb and flow with shooting execution throughout an 82-game season. 

“That shot is going to turn back around,” Williams said. “That’s something that I’ve always believed because, as a shooter. You can’t come in nightly and daily and 90 percent or 85 percent from the 3 at practice and not see it translate. For me, that’s why I don’t worry about the offensive side of the ball. It’s a matter of being that defender, being that guy that they’ve asked me to be, and really confident in that role.”

On Monday, Williams' next chance to get back on track will come against his former team, the Boston Celtics. The Mavs will begin a short two-game homestand against hopeful contenders, with the final game being against the Phoenix Suns.