What the Celtics say about the release of Grant Williams

Celtics

“It just wasn’t a basketball game. Grant knows better.”

Grant Williams crashed into Jayson Tatum at full speed late in the fourth quarter of the Celtics' win over Charlotte on Friday night.

Williams was ejected from the game after being cautioned for a Flagrant 2 foul. He told reporters that the act was unintentional, but Celtics forward Jaylen Brown disagrees.

“I don't know what it was about. I think that spoke for itself,” Brown said. “I don’t know if Grant missed JT, I don’t know what that was. This just wasn't a basketball game. Grant knows better.”

Celtics guard Derrick White also said the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Williams should know better than to run into people at full speed while dribbling a basketball.

“Like JB just said, he obviously didn’t want the ball,” White said. “He’s just too big to do something like that and he knows that, but JB has always supported us and we know that and we always have JT’s support.”

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who said earlier this week that he would like to see the NBA fight again, said he liked the physicality of the game.

He also said he liked the reaction from Tatum, who was affected by actions that resulted in flagrant fouls for two different Hornets players. LaMelo Ball received a Flagrant 1 for contact he made with Tatum while contesting a 3-point shot attempt.

“I'm glad he's okay. What I liked most is that he jumped up straight away. He wasn't lying around. It didn’t really bother him,” Mazzulla said. “He went straight up, went to the free throw line and did his business. I don't like the fact that he did it. I'm glad he's okay, but I'm even more glad he responded. Just get up, keep going, next game. And the team responded well too, so kudos to them.

“I just liked the way JT handled it. It was great. If you get hit like that, you'll pop right back up. Big deal.”

Brown said there was no place in the game for Williams' behavior Friday night.

“I thought Grant and JT were friends,” Brown said. “I do not think so.”

Brown agreed with Mazzulla's sentiments that sustained physical challenges can bring teams closer together.

“I think this brings out the side of our team that we need,” Brown said. “I think this adds another dimension to our team and that is what we need if we want to continue winning games at a high level. You need a little edge, a little liveliness, a little fight in you. I welcome that too. I agree with Joe.”

Khari A. Thompson

Sports reporter

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Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.

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