EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Tumultuous times in Brooklyn over the last few seasons could be focused around one player and his lack of production for a franchise that invested so much in him. Deron Williams came to the Brooklyn Nets when they were in New Jersey and the man who was once a top point guard in the league, fell so dramatically to an average point guard who was recently bought out by a team who once invested $100 million into him.
As the summer of 2015 comes to a close, one thing was for certain, Deron Williams time with the Nets is over and it’s time to move on but also it allowed Brooklyn Nets general manager Billy King to reflect on what once was supposed to be a franchise-changing move.
Billy King spoke to media members on Tuesday at the Brooklyn Nets facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Media questions were all over the place for the 30 minutes King spoke to the media. He talked about new young pieces like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Thomas Robinson and Shane Larkin, there was also discussions about Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young and Bojan Bogdanovic and what to expect from them. One thing that resonated from King was his initial lack of interest to talk about Deron Williams until he finally decided to open up on what happened between the two parties.
King said he originally approached Deron Williams’s agent, Jeff Schwartz, about the buyout. The final agreement allows the Nets to essentially stretch the remainder of D.Will’s contract over five years, at $5.5 million per season. It was a move that allowed them to get under the luxury tax, potentially saving as much as $60 million this year in repeater tax penalties.
“We explored the possibility of a trade and there was no opportunity there, and so we looked at other options,” King said. “And that was the best option, not only for this year and tax, but also for next year and creating cap space for next season as well.”
When King was asked if losing Deron Williams was addition by subtraction, King responded with “next question.” But then he quickly came back with a more in-depth response on the move.
“I think (a buyout was the best option) for both parties,” King said. “As I said when the buyout happened, I’m happy for Deron. I think he’s getting a fresh start in Dallas so I’m happy for him. Unfortunately it didn’t work out here to the best of all our likings, but I wish him the best. And I do sincerely mean that. When I spoke to him on the phone afterwards, I said ‘I’m happy for yourself and your family, that now you’re in a place where you’re around your family, and now basketball success will come with you.’ For us it’s the same, it’s a new start for us as well, and I think both parties have a chance to start fresh.”
Now with a somewhat new, younger roster, the Nets are looking to move on from what once was during the D.Will era. He was supposed to be the first big move towards immediate success when the Nets came to Brooklyn but at the end of his tenure, he was just one of the problems with the Nets over the last few seasons.
Williams goes south and is returning home, hopefully a stint in Dallas can revitalize whatever is left of the former All-Star’s career.
