Video: Grant Williams Reveals Trade to Bucks from Mavs 'Fell Through' at NBA Deadline

Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams revealed that he was nearly traded to the Milwaukee Bucks ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

Instead, he was eventually dealt to the Hornets from the Dallas Mavericks..

"It's just, Charlotte was the best opportunity," Williams said. "I think the only other team that probably would have been an option was Milwaukee but the deal kind of fell through."

It was a surprising move, as Dallas previously acquired the 25-year-old as part of a three-team trade in July 2023. While Williams didn't drastically increase his production with the Mavericks despite averaging a career-high 26.4 minutes per game with them, he still shot a respectable 37.6 percent from three.

He may have worn out his welcome after just a few months in Dallas, as ESPN's Tim MacMahon said that Williams "rubbed a lot of people the wrong way" in the organization during a Feb. 9 edition of The Hoop Collective Podcast (15:30 mark).

The trade with the Hornets has proven to be successful for the Mavericks, as they received forward P.J. Washington in return. Washington has been a key contributor throughout Dallas' current playoff run, averaging 13.9 points and 6.7 rebounds each night in the postseason while owning the third-best net rating on the roster (via NBA.com).

Milwaukee could have used Williams to provide depth in the frontcourt, as the team fell to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs while superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play due to a calf strain.