Lou Williams Says He Feels Wanted In Toronto
The Toronto Raptors traded for Atlanta Hawks guard Lou Williams this summer and took on the last year of his $5.4 million deal. Williams, who came off of an ACL injury last season, was a solid contributor but not an integral part of Mike Budenholzer’s plan in Atlanta. In his talk with the Raptors’ website, Williams talks about his appeal to the Toronto Raptors franchise, and how he feels about a new start with his new team,
I think one of the best benefits of it is being in a position where you feel wanted. When they traded for me and had the conversation, they want me here. It wasn’t a money thing. It wasn’t just something to do. They felt they had a void they needed to fill coming off the bench and I’m excited to help. I feel wanted. I feel like I have a responsibility with this basketball team and that’s the best way I can operate.
Williams’ responsibility, as he put it, will certainly be to help bolster the offensive production of Toronto’s bench. Playing behind Kyle Lowry gives head coach Dwayne Casey another scoring option in Williams, who can be streaky but is highly capable of getting off his shot. He’ll also have the option to use Lowry and Williams in a two-guard set and move DeMar Derozan to the small forward. Greivis Vasquez is also still available in the Raptors’ guard mix.
Williams also touched on the adjustment from his ACL injury,
It changed the entire direction of my career when I got hurt. I had to become a smarter player. I realized I wouldn’t be as fast as I once was. I couldn’t just rely on talent. I‘d have to work harder now. I had to prepare myself in a completely different way.
The Raptors made a heavy impression as the no. 3 seed in last year’s Eastern Conference playoffs, but fell to the Brooklyn Nets in seven games. Brooklyn’s experience and know-how willed them to the second round by beating Toronto on the road in Game 7. Adding a spark like Williams along with the signing of Jordan Hamilton means the Raptors insist on filling out their roster and improving their offensive assets for this upcoming season.
