Photo Credit: USATSI
After a second round exit, the Brooklyn Nets and Deron Williams appear headed into two different directions. The team that gave up almost everything to rent future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce is quickly trying to figure out ways to fix their very costly mistake. It is likely that their $90 million point guard could be the odd man out. However, it sounds more like he is just as ready to leave Brooklyn.
The 29-year old appeared to disappear in games throughout the season, even going 0-for-9 in one against the Miami Heat. Williams has been limited the past two season by nagging ankle injuries. It is now reported that he will likely undergo surgery to repair both ankles.
Williams has been very critical of his performance, he recently said, “I feel like I’ve kind of let people down, so I don’t like feeling like that. I take my job seriously, I work hard in the offseason, I work hard every day. It’s just real frustrating not to be able to play how I’m capable of playing.”
It also sounds like he may have lost his confidence on the court. “I used to step on the court and feel like I was the best player no matter who I played against, so I gotta get back to that,” he said. He currently has three years left on his contract and is owed over $63 million.
Trading Williams and allowing him to get a fresh start would be a great solution, but it seems highly likely a team will take on a point guard who is coming off surgery on both ankles and is due a lot of money. Williams has been a shell of himself since he started playing for the Nets. It will be hard for the Nets to find a trade partner looking to give up much for him especially with this year’s draft having many talented point guards including Tyler Ennis and Marcus Smart in it.
