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Since returning home to play for his hometown team via trade, Grant Williams has looked rejuvenated after a difficult start to the season in Dallas. Williams has brought his usual brand of physicality, toughness, outside shooting and vocal leadership, that was all to be expected. What wasn’t on the menu, is an intriguing post game which only the most staunch College basketball fans will remember from his Tennessee days.
During Williams’ senior year, he led the Volunteers in scoring (18.8) and rebounding (7.5) rebounds. The foundation of his offensive game was built around an advanced low-post game that made up 30% of his offensive plays, in which he ranked in the 97th percentile in scoring efficiency. Not only was he a threat to score, but Williams averaged 3.2 assists per game, finding weakside shooters and cutters all from the low block.
After being drafted 22nd overall in the 2019 draft to the Boston Celtics, Williams deserted his post-game and transformed into a 3&D forward. With the Charlotte injury bug continuing to bite Head Coach Steve Clifford, he has been forced to look for new sources of offense, enter Grant Williams. Clifford is now posting Grant Williams at a career high rate with positive results.
| Season | Team | Post-Up Frequency | Field Goal Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
23-24 |
Charlotte |
12% |
47.4% |
23-24 |
Dallas |
3.5% |
44% |
22-23 |
Boston |
2.1% |
40% |
21-22 |
Boston |
4.1% |
62% |
As you can see, Williams has almost quadrupled his post-up frequency compared to earlier in the season in Dallas. With limited spacing in Charlotte you would expect there to be less space and the efficiency to drop, but it's actually improved as Williams has become more comfortable. But has this helped Charlotte's offense? That's an emphatic yes.
The Hornets are +9.5 points better off on offense with Williams on the floor. In fact, Williams leads the team in overall Net Rating with +12.4 points when he's on the court, that ranks in the 97th percentile.
Williams uses his bulk, strength, and quick feet to take advantage when switched onto smaller players. Watch him out muscle Devin Booker below and get to the reverse finish.
Grant Williams Post-Up Reverse Finish (0:11)
Later in the Suns game he finds himself on his more favored left block matched up on Grayson Allen. He quickly before the Suns defense can react and finishes. You can tell Phoenix didn't have Grant Williams post-ups high on their scout, as the help defense was too slow to react.
Grant Williams Post-up Quick Spin (0:13)
It's not been as efficient for him so far, but Williams has also shown the ability to rise up against smaller defenders and finish with a soft fadeaway. Here, he takes Oubre to the post, getting him to jump with a subtle pump fake before firing away.
Grant Williams Post-Up Turnaround Jump shot (0:09)
But it's not only Williams' scoring out the post which is helping the offense, but his high basketball IQ and facilitating. His teammates know if they cut and are open Williams will find them, as Miller does here when his defender turns his head.
Grant Williams Post-Up Pass to Cutter (0:10)
Versatility is key for any NBA role player to be successful. For Grant Williams, he didn't need to go to summer skills school and learn any new tricks, he simply needed to tap back into part of his game which he had left behind in Tennessee. Let's be realisitic, Williams isn't the second coming of Al Jefferson and for a healthy Hornets lineup he won't be a top offensive option. However, it's a useful wrinkle when facing opposing teams with a switch reliant defensive system. The more offensive options the better for a Hornets team which has ranked towards the bottom of the league offensively for the previous two seasons.
More must-reads:
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TODAY'S BEST
The 'NBA playoff point-per-game leaders' quiz
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Brewers issue update on Jackson Chourio rehab timeline
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio was tearing it up in July before he strained his hamstring legging out a triple. He was placed on the injured list, and it only got worse from there. Less than 24 hours later, manager Pat Murphy said Chourio would be out beyond the 10-day minimum and possibly at least a month. On Saturday, beat reporter Curt Hogg shed another tidbit of light on the slugger’s timetable. It’s not necessarily worse news, but Hogg’s update probably does not illuminate much. Fans already knew Chourio was going to be out a while after Friday’s report, so this latest info isn’t surprising. It isn’t all that encouraging, either. It certainly suggests no expedited return schedule. Not to make assumptions, but the emphasis on the location of the damage versus evaluating its severity seems to indicate the Brewers are just hoping Chourio avoided a worse-case scenario. In that case, caution would indeed be first in the order of operations. Only after ascertaining clarity would it make sense to seriously estimate a recovery timetable. That he won’t be ready to immediately resume baseball workouts further points to a slow, methodical recovery process. For however long he remains out, the lineup will miss him badly. Chourio’s 17 home runs rank second on the team behind Christian Yelich, as do his 67 RBI. His .786 OPS leads the offense among qualified hitters. In 90 at-bats in July, he hit .367/.408/.600. The Brewers are resilient everywhere, but without one of their few genuine power threats and hottest bats, plus an everyday outfielder, they are courting a potential offensive slump. The most fans can hope for from Chourio is that he returns fully healthy by the first week of September. Until then, Blake Perkins and trade pickup Brandon Lockridge should see plenty of playing time while Yelich takes more reps in the outfield after getting most of his at-bats this season as the designated hitter.
Justin Fields Called 'Biggest Loser' In Jets Training Camp
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Starting pitcher Nestor Cortes was the centerpiece of the Milwaukee Brewers‘ return haul from trading co-closer Devin Williams to the Yankees last December. Eight months later, Cortes is a member of the Padres, logging all of two starts in Milwaukee before injuries sapped his season. Over in New York, Williams lost his closer’s job, got it back, and has had one good month en route to a 5.04 ERA. Without the other part of Milwaukee’s incoming package, then minor-league third baseman Caleb Durbin, the trade would look at this juncture like a lose-lose scenario. Thanks to Durbin, it’s been anything but for the Brewers. Caleb Durbin is Milwaukee Brewers’ diamond in the rough Durbin didn’t make the spring training cut. Instead, the Brewers went with fellow rookie Oliver Dunn as the team’s starting third baseman. Durbin went down to Triple-A Nashville. Dunn didn’t last. After he struggled through the first three weeks of the season, he and Durbin switched places and the latter hasn’t squandered his shot. Following a slow start, he’s turned up the heat at the dish while playing outstanding defense. He’s had an OPS around .800 for over two months now and has his season slashline up to .263/.344/.372. His 2.2 WAR in 86 games played is tied for 10th among all third basemen, making him one of the position’s more valuable players. The Brewers saw plenty of promise in Durbin when they traded for him, coming off a strong season with New York’s Triple-A affiliate. Even though he didn’t, he was a decent candidate to make the team out of spring. The team likely didn’t see a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate, which he is. By WAR, he and Braves catcher Drake Baldwin have contributed the same value to their teams, more than any other NL rookies. Cortes, on the other hand, was supposed to be a consistent cog in the rotation. Last year for the Yankees, he made 30 starts and recorded a 3.77 ERA. Instead, he’s still making his way back from injury ahead of start number three this season. In San Diego. Of course, Milwaukee did turn him into outfielder Brandon Lockridge, who will provide depth while Jackson Chourio is hurt. To dump Cortes’ salary, however, they had to attach a prospect, infielder Jorge Quintana. Neither Cortes nor Williams has been what the receiving team hoped. Both will be free agents this offseason. Only the Yankees, however, are at risk of walking away empty-handed. With years of team control remaining, the Brewers have in Durbin what looks to be their third baseman of both the present and future. The trade didn’t deliver according to expectations, but it’s hard to be too upset with the results.
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