Brooklyn Nets: Deron Williams Is A Tough Sell

By Steve Krebs | Feb 13, 2015

Dec 26, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) drives past Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) during the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

Of all the individuals the Brooklyn Nets will look to move, Deron Williams is going to be the toughest sell, by far. Once an elite point guard whose services would have complemented (well, been accepted by is probably a more fitting description) many rosters, is now a player who comes with more baggage than a Kardashian on vacation.

The more devout NBA fan probably would quickly identify Deron Williams as somewhat of a bust, having only amassed, come to think of it, nothing but a few decent seasons of solid scoring and assists totals. A casual fan might ask, “Isn’t that the guy that got Jerry Sloan fired, he’s still playing?”

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However you view the man, there are obviously a ton of warts that will ultimately affect the return if the Brooklyn Nets do elect to part ways with the Illinois University product:

Health – Not only has Deron Williams missed 14 out of 52 games already this season, since coming to Brooklyn he has missed 36 contests, either due to complications in his ankles, and more recently discomfort in his ribs. The team that requires Deron’s services will have to be extremely comfortable with knowing the chances of playing out the full one-third of the remaining schedule are slim, at best.
Performance – To put it in a non-insulting manner, Deron’s skills have taken a turn for the deteriorating. To put it not so mildly, the eroding appears to have hit its zenith, and every night he takes the court seems like another reason to call it a career. This season, the points per game are at a career low 12.9, with a 36.9 field goal percentage.
Age/Contract – When you realize Deron is only 30 years of age, for a moment it seems like retiring is a very premature notion, though, it has been an injury riddled nine seasons, and obviously his best games are as far behind as the days of the walk-man. If a diminished skill-set at 30 is not enough to make another suitor look elsewhere, this should certainly lure only the most desperate of organizations:

2014-15: $19,754,465
2015-16: $21,042,800.
2016-17: $22,331,135 {Early Termination Option}

Attitude – As mentioned earlier, this is the same guy that ultimately ended the Hall Of Fame coaching career of a man who has a winning percentage of 60 percent — only to be traded a few days later, for Derrick Favors (I know, Plumlee, Favors, Jack, ugh, what could have been) — and we all remember how the Avery Johnson situation worked out….When Deron is not happy, he makes sure to show that on the court, and the team usually suffers the most after the coach gets axed. (Just saying.)

If the Nets plan on trading Deron, they honestly cannot expect much in terms of a return, unless another team believes the right situation can revert him back to the 20/10 stud he used to be. Brooklyn fans are hoping on the latter, but certainly not holding their breath on that outcome.

There were some bright spots in his tenure, it’s honestly too bad the good was engulfed by statistical inefficiencies, injuries, a disgruntled attitude, and overall, an underwhelming desire to make the Nets a championship caliber team.

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