The Celtics have been linked to Brandon Williams for a reason: he checks a few boxes Boston clearly values, and he may not cost much to land. Days before free agency, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Celtics were expected to have interest in the guard, with the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and the Dallas Mavericks also in the mix.
Williams is still on the market even after a career year. The unrestricted free agent averaged 13.0 points and 3.9 assists, both career highs, and did it while carving out a much bigger role than he had before. Last season, the former Arizona standout played in 66 games, which doubled his previous high, and made 15 starts.
The appeal starts with the way he gets downhill. In 22.2 minutes per game, Williams leaned on his speed and ball-handling to put pressure on defenses, especially when a slower defender - often a center after a switch - ended up in front of him.
He’s only 6'1", but once he gets to the rim, he finishes effectively. He also earned plenty of trips to the line, averaging 4.6 free-throw attempts per game.
There are limits to his game, though. Williams has never been a strong three-point shooter, with a career conversion rate below 30 percent. Even so, he still made himself useful by doing what he does best, and he brought value on the other end too, averaging nearly 1.0 steals per game in 2025-26.
Boston’s interest has to be weighed against the practical side of the roster. Dallas has his Early Bird Rights, which makes a return there easier.
The Mavericks also went through a front-office shakeup this summer, with Masai Ujiri now serving as president of basketball operations, and new general manager Mike Schmitz already knows Williams from his time as the Portland Trail Blazers’ assistant general manager while Williams was in the Pacific Northwest. The people who remain in the organization also know him well.
Money matters here, too. Williams turns 27 in November and is coming off a two-year deal worth an average of $1.2 million per year. Since he remains unsigned, his next contract - wherever it comes from - should still come at a relatively modest number.
That’s what makes Boston an interesting fit. The Celtics could use another ball handler, and Williams’ price tag could make him appealing.
At the same time, the team is already leaning on Mike Conley as the backup point guard and wants to manage him carefully as he heads into his 20th NBA season. Boston is also inclined to leave its final roster spot open for now, in part to preserve flexibility and in part because the Celtics are $1.7 million below the luxury tax and in position to reset the repeater tax.
Williams is a useful player, but not at the expense of that setup.
A two-way deal would be a strong bargain if Boston could get him there, though that kind of arrangement doesn’t really match what he’s likely looking for after a breakout season. If Williams has better options - and he should - or if the Celtics decide their offer doesn’t line up with his value, they could pivot to Milos Uzan.
Uzan, the former Houston Cougars point guard, stood out for Boston during Summer League and will be in training camp at the Auerbach Center on an Exhibit 10 deal. As he competes for a roster spot, he’s currently the favorite to take the Celtics’ last two-way opening.
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Now, with the Jaylen Brown trade reshaping the roster, the discussion around Pritchard has shifted from whether he can help to how Boston should use him. There are reasons to imagine him in either spot, but the clearest case is still for him to supply scoring and energy in a reserve role, even if the door stays open for a larger opportunity if the Celtics need his all-around game in the starting five. [Read more 🡒]