The Dallas Mavericks are interested in forwards Grant Williams and Harrison Barnes this offseason, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
Williams, who has spent the past four seasons with the Boston Celtics, is a restricted free agent this offseason. Barnes is an unrestricted free agent, and he spent time earlier in his career with the Mavericks before most recently playing for the Sacramento Kings.
“The latest team to have interest in Williams looking ahead to free agency is the Dallas Mavericks, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote. “It’s worth noting Williams and Mavericks star Luka Doncic are both represented by WME Sports.
“Another forward the Mavericks are interested in heading toward free agency is Harrison Barnes, league sources told HoopsHype. Barnes previously averaged 18.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in three seasons with Dallas.”
During the 2022-23 season, Williams averaged 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 45.4 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from beyond the arc for Boston.
A first-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Williams has become a solid floor spacer, shooting at least 37.2 percent from beyond the arc in three of his four NBA seasons. While he’s played mainly a bench role in Boston (58 starts in 288 games), there’s a chance he could showcase more on the offensive end with more touches.
Since Williams will be a restricted free agent, the Celtics can match any offer sheet he signs to keep him with the team. That could throw a potential wrench in Dallas’ plans to add him.
As for the veteran Barnes, he could be in line for a second stint in Dallas if the team makes a competitive offer in the offseason.
Dallas traded Barnes in the 2018-19 season to the Kings where he has been a model of consistency. Barnes averaged at least 14.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in each of the last four seasons with the Kings. He is also a career 37.8 percent shooter from beyond the arc.
The Mavericks are clearly looking for wing help after trading away Dorian Finney-Smith in the Kyrie Irving trade during the 2022-23 season.
If the team wants to build around Doncic and Irving (who is a free agent himself), it’s going to need to bring in two-way players that can space the floor around the two stars.
Both Barnes and Williams fit that build, and it will be interesting to see how Dallas pursues them once free agency begins this offseason.
