Brooklyn Nets' star point guard Deron Williams has seen his numbers drop drastically since being traded from the Utah Jazz on Feb. 23, 2011, and admittedly hasn't been the same player since.
Though he claims it may just be a mental issue with him, he also claims that injuries and a new system may be the blame as well.
"I was injured the first year (and needed season-ending right wrist surgery)," Williams said Monday, a day before the Nets host the Jazz at Barclays Center. "I've really had injuries while I've been with (the Nets) the whole time. And didn't have the talent around me that I did (with the Jazz).
"And that system (in Utah) was a great system for my style of play. I'm a system player, and I loved Coach (Jerry) Sloan's system. I loved the offense there. We could've been a really good team. We just weren't that good defensively as a group."
Williams, once voted best point guard in the NBA by NBA general managers, made the playoffs in four of his 5 ½ seasons with the Jazz. During his peak years Williams' field-goal accuracy ranged from 45.6 percent to 50.7 percent. He was shooting 45.8 percent for the Jazz when they traded him.
In 90 games with the Nets Williams is averaging 19.2 points and 9.2 assists, but shooting just 39.6 percent, 32 percent from 3-point range.
He has not appeared in a playoff game since May 10, 2010. Prior to the start of the season.
The struggles were understandable during the season and a half he spent in New Jersey, but with a talent-rich new roster and the move to Brooklyn, the Nets (13-10) expected Williams to return to All-Star form.
Although Williams is dealing with wrist and ankle injuries, he said the problem was not physical. Avery Johnson agreed.
"I even told him before practice today in our video session, nothing is wrong with his game," Johnson said. "Everything is going to be fine. It's the 23rd game of the season. He has a chance to get on a roll for the next 23 games."
Williams thinks that he can eventually make it work playing Johnson's system.
"I believe I can adapt to anything," he said. "We're still a young team. Things don't happen overnight. It's still just December. We're working on it."
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