Deron Williams’ future with the Nets is in doubt. The man who at one point was supposed to be the franchises’ next greatest thing since Jason Kidd and Vince Carter hasn’t lived up to the five-year/$99 million contract he signed back in the summer of 2012.
Williams, who is coming off the worst season of his career, was nearly dealt to the Kings this season in a trade that involved him and Mason Plumlee going to Sacramento in exchange for Darren Collison, a trade that eventually fell through when the Nets decided against trading Plumlee.
It’s no secret that the Nets are trying to get Williams off their books, as the 30-year-old point guard is owed $21 million next season and $22.3 million in the 2016-2017 season (The year Kevin Durant becomes a free agent) if he picks up his player option.
With all of that to consider, Grantlands Zach Lowe writes:
“Using the stretch provision to waive Williams would solve a lot of issues, even if it would leave a $9 million annual dump on Brooklyn’s cap sheet through 2019-20. It would help the Nets squeeze under the tax line next season without sacrificing any outgoing free agents or salary-dumping Jarrett Jack, which would cost them at least a second-round pick.
Stretching Williams would conjure about $13 million in extra cap space for the summer of 2016. It’s not a cost-free move, but you’re fooling yourself if you think Nets officials won’t seriously consider it.”
Basically what that means is, the team would waive Williams and alter the schedule and extend it to a longer period of time until he receives all the remaining money that both parties agreed on.
It’s about to be a long summer for the Nets, and for their future, that’s still in doubt.
