Jayson Tatum Breaks Silence on Ex-Teammate Grant Williams Being “Bad Locker Room Guy”

Grant Williams’ NBA journey has had some speedbumps along the way. After a successful 4-year stint with the Boston Celtics, Williams got traded to the Dallas Mavericks last summer in a three-way deal. But the 25-year-old’s Mavs tenure did not last long. Dallas traded Williams to the Charlotte Hornets last month at the midseason trade deadline in less than a season. Williams’ early exit was reportedly because he had become a problem in the locker room.

Amid the rumors, Celtics announcer Mike Gorman claimed Williams was an “annoying” teammate during his time in Boston and Dallas. “The guy’s a bad locker room guy. If you’re a bad locker room guy, you’re an eighth or ninth guy, you’re not going to be the eighth or ninth guy for long because you’re not going to be on the team for long.” Gorman added. Following the accusations from Gorman, Williams’ former Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum came to his rescue and defended him. In his latest tweet, Tatum wrote, “Grant Williams= Great teammate!” Tatum silenced the critics on social media and put an end to Grant Williams’ bad teammate narrative.

Tatum and Williams were teammates for four years, from 2019 to 2023. Tatum speaking up in Grant’s defense means a lot for the former Celtics star’s reputation because Tatum has firsthand experience working with him. Williams was a solid player during his time in Boston. He got drafted 22nd overall in the 2019 NBA draft and soon became an integral part of the Celtics lineup. Williams even helped the Celtics reach the NBA Finals in 2022. While his locker room presence can be debated, no one can deny his contribution on the floor.

Grant Williams can revive his career in Charlotte

The Mavericks reportedly traded Grant Williams because he had developed a sour relationship with Luka Doncic. Although Williams’ Mavs tenure started great, his playing time was soon decreased by head coach Jason Kidd. The Mavs eventually traded him to Charlotte last month in exchange for P.J. Washington. While things may not have worked out for Williams in Dallas, he has an opportunity to revive his reputation in Charlotte. The Forward has been playing great since he left the Mavs.

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Williams has played 14 games in the Hornets uniform, averaging a career-high 13.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. His playing time has also increased significantly following the trade. Grant can use this momentum to put his Mavs run in the rearview mirror and focus on things to come.