As we’ve seen in the last few years in the NBA, max contracts aren’t necessarily for everybody to get or pursue (See: Tristian Thompson) and the expectations that come with the deal can either make or break a player’s career. For Deron Williams, injuries and inconsistent play made him expendable after last season, causing the Nets to buy out the remainder of his 5 year, $100 million contract. With whispers of Williams being a difficult teammate from his days as a Net still following him, although he’s now a Dallas Maverick, he decided to let everyone know how he felt about the whole situation.
From The Record
“On Monday, a rejuvenated Williams made his return to New York scoring 20 points with seven assists for the Mavericks in a win over the Knicks. And then, he explained why it was best to move on from the Nets.
“It just never went well,” Williams said of his time in Brooklyn. “I just felt like everybody felt I was the problem, and so now I’m gone.”
In 2011, the Nets traded for Williams in the hopes that he would be the face of the franchise as it transitioned from New Jersey to Brooklyn. But he never played up to that billing, or the expectations that came with the five-year, nearly $100-million contract he signed in the summer of 2012.
He failed to build a working chemistry with other core pieces like Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez — and later Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. And Williams’ average play was a major reason the Nets never blossomed into the championship contender they could have been.
“I wish things were different — would have happened differently,” Williams said. “But they didn’t. Can’t dwell on it, just move forward and I think that’s what I’ve done.”
Williams, who dealt with ankle problems, and an admitted loss of confidence in his game while playing for the Nets cited several reasons for why it didn’t work out.
“I was injured pretty much the whole time I was there,” Williams said. “Four coaches in three and 1/2 years doesn’t help as a point guard for chemistry and things like that and just constant change. It just didn’t work out.”
As of December 8th, 2015, Williams is averaging 15.2 PPG while dishing out 6 APG for the Mavericks this season.
