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When it comes to what Grant Williams could wind up netting himself on the free agency market, at this point it’s truly anyone’s guess. Grant Williams Predicted to Receive $52 Million From Celtics The hope is this will not impact his leverage in contract negotiations. Per another report by Spotrac’s Keith Smith, Grant Williams will be cleared to resume on-court basketball activities in 6-8 weeks. All rights reserved.ESPN Sources: Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams – who’ll be a restricted free agent this summer - had surgery on his left hand Friday that’s expected to have him fully recovered for the start of fall training camp: Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information / Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. ^ Back to Top ^ © 2023 ESPN Internet Ventures. We believe in Joe and Joe believes in us." "So now that he has the job it's nothing new. "He's been here through a lot of our hard times and our struggles," Smart said. So Smart reiterated that although this is Mazzulla's first time at the helm, he feels like the coach has been a part of the journey with the rest of this Boston core. Mazzulla was not the Celtics' head coach last season when they won a pair of Game 7s - against the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat - en route to the NBA Finals, but he was a member of Ime Udoka's staff. "There are things that we don't see on the court that Joe sees, and there's also things that we see that Joe doesn't see. "We're all about winning, whatever it takes," Smart said. Williams is expected to remain in the starting lineup for Game 7 between the Celtics and Sixers on Sunday in Boston.Īsked what led to the switch, Mazzulla responded simply, "We were trailing 3-2 in the series." But even if several Celtics players were in favor of Williams' insertion into the starting lineup, none of them said they had a meeting with Mazzulla to influence the change. Smart said players have an open dialogue with Mazzulla and he allows them to come to him with suggestions.
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Mazzulla has caught criticism throughout this second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers - for his timeout management at the end of Boston's Game 4 loss and after the Celtics were routed at home in Game 5 to fall behind 3-2 in the series.


"Even if they make a mistake, they don't let it deter him. The great players, the great coaches, they're able to learn. That's the fun of taking the criticism and moving on, being coachable, being able to learn.

If it doesn't, then obviously you have to look at it. "At the end of the day it's his decision," Smart said. But Smart continued to remain supportive of Mazzulla's decision-making. Smart used that lineup change to note that Mazzulla, the Celtics' 34-year-old first-year coach, was still learning. Celtics players responded to the change with roaring approval, including Smart, who said he was ecstatic about the switch.

With their season on the line in Game 6, the Celtics made a critical adjustment by inserting Robert Williams III into the starting lineup and going back to the unit they used most of last season on the way to an appearance in the NBA Finals. And that's with certain things that he might do or might not do." "Joe's not on the court, so he gets held accountable differently than we do. "Rightfully so in the fact that just like us when we go out there and we don't play a good game, or we don't do things we know we're capable of and we should be doing, we get held accountable," Smart said after practice Saturday afternoon. Marcus Smart: Joe Mazzulla showing ability to 'learn' amid criticismīOSTON - Celtics guard Marcus Smart provided further clarity on his pointed comments following Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, when he said coach Joe Mazzulla has "rightfully" faced criticism in his first year leading the team.
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