Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Why Grant Williams is still an important piece for the Charlotte Hornets

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Austin Leake | Last updated May 27, 2025 8:50 AM ET

One of the players that has a very underrated impact for the Charlotte Hornets is Grant Williams. For a team that is filled with youth and not much experience, a player like Williams with experience is very useful, especially since he actually provides use on the court as well.

Williams, unfortunately, went down with a very severe injury this past season versus Milwaukee, which ended his season in late November. He suffered a torn ACL and also had damage to his meniscus and other ligaments in his right knee. He had surgery to repair the injury and should be ready for training camp in September.

The injury scare definitely makes things a little more interesting, seeing that it was a very major injury, but Williams seems to be a very determined player to get back to full health and compete next season.

The Hornets are going to need him when he comes back next year because his injury this past season was really the start of the demise of the team. When he went down, the Hornets held a record of 6-10, but then finished the year with a record of 19-63.

Obviously, there were other injuries that furthermore crushed the hopes of the season for the Hornets, but the injuries to him and Tre Mann really seemed to negatively impact the team due to the lack of bench depth.

As well, Williams was a huge factor on the defensive end, as he was able to guard the opposing team's best players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alperen Sengun, and Jayson Tatum in the games he was available.

Williams is a big body, which helps his interior defense and his pick and roll/pop game with LaMelo Ball. Those factors of his game are very important to the on-court success for Charlotte.

The Hornets also need to hold onto the veteran for other important reasons. For one, his shooting is much-needed, as there isn't many consistent shooters on the team. Another reason is the team simply needs vocal leaders that know how to impact the younger players with their words.

Williams throughout his career has always been an incredible teammate, which is something that can have an underrated impact. He also is one of the few players on the team that puts his body on the line and draws offensive fouls.

On top of that, he is one of the better hustle players in the league, as you know, you're going to see him dive for a loose ball more than once a game.

So, with that in mind, I don't see any reason that Charlotte would be looking to move on from the 26-year-old.

To put the cherry on top, he grew up in Charlotte and absolutely loves playing for his hometown team. So, why would you give up on a player who actually enjoys playing for the Hornets, while also being determined to see them get back to the NBA playoffs?