Deron Williams was given a contract to be a franchise player for the Brooklyn Nets. However, this season proved that the point guard might no longer be that type of player and his contract is too big to keep on the pay roll. Head coach Lionel Hollins made it clear that the Nets do not need franchise players, they need productive players. After attempted to trade Williams at the mid-season deadline, will Brooklyn be forced to release him if a deal is not made?
According to Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com, the Nets are aiming to move the 30-year-old point guard this upcoming offseason and could potentially release him if a deal if not found. The issue for Williams is his contract. The point guard is owed $21 million next season and $22.3 million in 2016 if he does not opt out which he will not considering the amount of money he can make. Those numbers alone have turned off every team Brooklyn has tried to strike a deal with. Hollins believes Williams is simply not the same player he once was.
"He's not a franchise player anymore," Hollins said, via ESPN on Saturday. "He's a good player, he's a solid player, but I don't think he's a franchise player anymore. That's just my opinion. He's a good player. I'm proud of the way he's bounced back and played, and there's so much pressure on him to be a franchise player, and everybody talks about a franchise player, but we need to have a franchise team."
Ideally, Brooklyn wants a trade for the point guard. Rajon Rondo and Goran Dragic headline the free agency class. They will come cheaper than Williams well. Any team that does not get either player might take a look at the veteran. The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks are two teams in need of point guard upgrades, but again the contract is an issue.
Grantland's Zach Lowe points out that the Nets could use the stretch provision on Williams while other sources believe a buyout could be the best move for the team. If Williams is on the market, he could easily get picked up by a team and signed for much cheaper. It would give him a fresh start while allowing Brooklyn to get out of a major money commitment.
