Grant Williams spent the first month of 2026 mired in a brutal offensive slump that rendered him nearly unplayable off the bench. He simply could not buy a basket. His struggles bottomed out on 01/31 vs SAS, where a dismal 1-for-5 shooting night resulted in a disastrous -13.5 impact score. Even when he tried to act as a facilitator during a scoreless 0-for-6 outing on 01/22 vs CLE, his abysmal perimeter shooting destroyed the team's floor spacing and tanked his impact to -7.8. Just as his rotation spot seemed completely lost, Williams suddenly found his stroke. He finally erupted on 02/02 vs NOP, pouring in 16 points on highly efficient 5-for-7 shooting while grabbing 9 rebounds. That aggressive work on the glass and sudden perimeter accuracy generated a massive +17.6 impact score, transforming him from a glaring liability into a vital spark plug.

This thirteen-game stretch was defined by a harsh reality check that swiftly demoted Grant Williams from the starting lineup to the bench. He briefly teased his absolute ceiling on 02/19 vs HOU, drilling four three-pointers to score 20 points and register a massive +19.3 Impact score. That hot shooting was a total mirage. Just one game later on 02/22 vs WAS, Williams managed a measly five points on four shot attempts, dragging the offense down with a -12.3 Impact score due to his extreme passivity. That disappearing act immediately cost him his starting job. His influence only withered further as a reserve, hitting rock bottom on 03/19 vs ORL. He posted a catastrophic -17.4 Impact score in that matchup after going scoreless and attempting just a single field goal in 18 minutes of empty cardio. When a designated floor-spacer refuses to actually shoot the basketball, the resulting offensive cramps carry a massive hidden cost.