Amari Williams gives Boston another developing option at center

Boston brought Amari Williams back on a two-way contract, the team announced in a release published July 4. Terms were not disclosed.

Williams played 22 NBA games, including two starts, during 2025-26. His Boston averages were 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 6.6 minutes. The larger workload came with Maine: 15.8 points, 10.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists across 28 G League appearances.

That passing number is worth remembering when watching his next opportunity. A center's contribution can begin before the shot, with a quick decision that moves a defense.

Williams recorded 11 double-doubles for Maine, including a 33-point, 16-rebound game against Capital City on January 3. The July signing keeps his development connected to Boston, without promising a particular NBA workload.

Source: Amari Williams returns on Two-Way contract.

A January stretch to revisit

Williams had already experienced a sudden change in responsibility during January. In Brooklyn, he played five minutes, all in overtime, and supplied an assist to Payton Pritchard, a block and a go-ahead three-point play in Boston's 130-126 double-overtime win.

The following night brought his first NBA start, against Chicago. He played 10 minutes with two points, two rebounds and a block in a 114-111 defeat. The team's January account illustrates how quickly an assignment can change.

Those games also suggest a useful way to watch a reserve center. Track the first few possessions after he enters: where he screens, whether he finds a passing outlet and how he handles a second defensive action. A short appearance can contain a substantial responsibility even when it produces a small scoring total.

The matchup mattered

Another January appearance showed how opponent and assignment can affect a young center's minutes. Against Portland, Williams played 25 minutes and 53 seconds off the bench, contributing nine points, seven rebounds and two blocks to a 102-94 Boston win.

In the January 27 report, Joe Mazzulla explained that the matchup with Donovan Clingan suited Williams differently from Chicago's faster, dribble-driven attack. That is an important distinction when reading his game log. A changing workload can reflect the job available that night, not simply a judgment on his last scoring total. Watch the opponent's center as well as Williams when assessing his next assignment.