Grade the Trade: Can Cavaliers make a deal for Boston forward?

Would the Cavaliers make this trade for Grant Williams?

Grant Williams is shooting 41.8 percent on 3-pointers this season. He shot 41.1 last season. He has developed from a reluctant and inaccurate shooter as a rookie into a strong positive on that end, and he gets up a good amount of attempts as well given his low-usage role. 50 percent of his shots are 3s, a robust figure for a power forward.

Defensively, Williams is smart and great at getting into position. He isn’t an elite athlete, but he is strong and can body up bigs, while possessing the footspeed to stay in front of smaller players. He is a step slow in recovery defense or emergency closeouts, but he is often in the right place to begin with, making last-second dashes unnecessary. He can rebound, handle the ball, and hit the open pass.

Losing Lamar Stevens is tough, but he’s not inside the rotation right now. He provides a cost-controlled option for the Celtics, while the Cavaliers turn his roster spot into an upgrade — a player who defends near Stevens’ level and is worlds better as a shooter.

Making this deal is something of a no-brainer. He will get more expensive next season, but not egregiously so; a four-year, $72 million deal would be well worth it for Williams, and would almost certainly close the deal in restricted free agency. He would bring the Cavs size, shooting and excellent character and leadership. Pull the trigger!

Grade: A