Celtics alum Grant Williams reveals post-NBA career dream of becoming general manager

BOSTON — When it comes to retirement, many athletes might picture themselves relaxing on the beach and just taking it easy for the rest of their lives. Not former Boston Celtics big man Grant Williams, though. The current Charlotte Hornets forward and NBPA vice president pictures himself crunching numbers in the front office after he retires from playing. He told former Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown, four-time NBA champion Andre Iguodala, and others on the "State of the Game" video series that he hopes to be a general manager one day, as he enjoys the intricacies of salary cap allocation and team financials. "I love to research it," Williams said. "As a player, some people hate seeing roster construction. But for me, post-career, I want to go into that general manager spot. So, I love to simulate trade environments. I love to think about what are the ways to get around the rules." Celtics fans might not expect this kind of response from a player who once dressed up as Batman during a postgame press conference in Boston. But, Williams has grown since his years in green and is now a veteran voice in the Hornets locker room. "If you see the Grant Williams of today versus the Grant Williams when I was 20 years old, when I first got here, I'd be able to tell you a lot of different things," he told Celtics Wire at TD Garden in early March. The 27-year-old is no longer a stranger to the ways of the NBA and as a leader of the NBPA, Williams understands the current state of the league better than most. He can point out issues in the way the game is officiated on the court and critique how rosters are being constructed off the court. "It's a problem right now," Williams described of the NBA's punitive tax aprons. "Transparently, I think it's one of those vehicles that has really stunted a lot of growth within teams in the NBA. It's difficult to negotiate and work around." Before Williams makes a move to the front office, he still has productive playing years left in him. The former first-round pick will enter his eighth season in the Association in October and, barring a trade, continue to help the upstart Hornets build a winning culture. Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on: Blue Wire:  iTunes:  YouTube:  *This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: *