Kemba Walker: Marvin Williams Eyed Celtics Before Reported Bucks Contract

To hear Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker tell it, good friend and former Charlotte Hornets teammate Marvin Williams would have loved a chance to reunite on the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed, per Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe:

"He said that he wished he could have gotten to Boston with me, but I'm just happy for him. That's my guy, man. That's one of my favorite teammates I've ever been around. That's my vet. I was upset that we didn't get the chance to get him, but I'm happy for him. He deserves it. He's been in the league for a very long time. He works hard. He deserves to be on a winning team."

Himmelsbach noted Williams agreed to a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks after the Hornets elected to buy out his contract.

Boston could not have signed the former Tar Heel without a corresponding move because it already has 15 players on the roster. Any buyout-market additions would result in someone else being waived.

Unfortunately for Walker and the Celtics, Williams joined one of a handful of teams in the East that stand between them and the NBA Finals.

Milwaukee sports the league's best record at 45-7 and has the reigning MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way. Walker pointed out the versatile Williams will do "whatever they ask him" while also providing "toughness, veteran leadership, just a different type of energy."

Williams appeared in 41 games for Charlotte this season and averaged 6.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 37.6 percent from three-point range.

That three-point shooting figures to be key, as few in the league attract the defensive attention that Antetokounmpo does on a nightly basis. That leads to open looks for his teammates whenever he attacks the lane, and Williams can earn playing time by connecting on those shots.

Much to Walker's chagrin, he won't be bringing that shooting stroke to Boston.