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Ranking the 5 best available power forwards in 2023 NBA free agency

By Holden Walter-Warner

April 17, 2023; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40) celebrates after a basket against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter in game two of the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
April 17, 2023; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40) celebrates after a basket against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter in game two of the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – FEBRUARY 25: Grant Williams #12 of the Boston Celtics reacts after making a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 25, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 110-107. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – FEBRUARY 25: Grant Williams #12 of the Boston Celtics reacts after making a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 25, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 110-107. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

3. Grant Williams, Boston Celtics

If Grant Williams was going to be paid based on the number of free throws he can hit after boasting of his aptitude at the line, he’d be getting a minimum contract next year. Luckily for him, that’s not how this offseason will work.

Like Washington, Williams is also a restricted free agent. He’s been playing on a similar salary and they are only months apart in age. Their deals are going to be compared directly this summer.

The former first-rounder is coming off his best season, when his role expanded with the Boston Celtics once again, even if the numbers didn’t necessarily pop out. He averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game off the bench, hitting 39.5 percent of his threes.

Williams has quietly developed into one of the more consistent three-point shooters in the NBA, averaging 37.9 percent accuracy for his career. In the playoffs, he steps it up even further, boasting a 43.3 percent mark, which would rank among the top postseason shooting performances ever.

The forward is also a versatile defender, a pivotal attribute when being asked to guard the likes of Giannis Antetokoumpo and Jimmy Butler. His size and quickness make him an asset on that end.

His three-point shooting and defensive versatility make him more intriguing than Washington. So does the fact that he could draw a slightly less expensive offer sheet, though the Celtics will have the right to match.

Williams could command between $12 million and $14 million per year, ESPN’s Bobby Marks said on the Celtics Talk Podcast (h/t NBC Sports Boston). Some of the teams Marks floated as potential chasers include young up-and-coming teams like the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, and Oklahoma City Thunder.

It feels like Williams is a contender to stick around in Boston for longer and eventually usurp minutes from Al Horford. But after the Celtics’ up-and-down postseason, anything is on the table.

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