Dimes and Disappointment: Deron Williams and the Brooklyn Nets

Deron Williams was supposed to be the second coming of Jason Kidd for the Brooklyn Nets. Instead of being the franchise floor general, he became more of a disappointment. Let’s take one final look at what was the D-Will Era.

In 2011, the New Jersey Nets were looking to make a splash as they were getting ready to move to Brooklyn. The Nets made several attempts to trade for Carmelo Anthony, who made it known that he wanted to play in New York. Melo meant the Knicks, but Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov wanted to take over the city, and acquiring a superstar like Melo would be a good start.

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Spoiler: the Nets didn’t get Anthony, even though then-Nuggets head coach George Karl liked the Nets’ offer more than the Knicks’.

So the Knicks get Anthony, then in stunning fashion, at the trade deadline, the Nets successfully traded for the franchise point guard of the Utah Jazz, All-Star Deron Williams. The Nets traded Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, cash, and two first-round picks in 2011 (Enes Kanter) and 2013 (Gorgui Dieng).

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At the time of the trade, Williams was considered an elite NBA point guard, comparable only to Chris Paul. The Jazz did not have to trade Williams, who still had two years on his contract, but Williams and legendary Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan had some kind of falling out about two weeks prior to the trade, and Sloan resigned.

This falling out permanently gave many NBA fans the perception that Williams was a “coach killer.” Many analysts and pundits viewed the Jazz’s move as a preemptive strike to avoid going through the same drama the Nuggets just went through with Anthony.

Nets head coach Avery Johnson gave Williams high praise following the trade.

"“This is about dissembling a team that won 12 games and assembling a team, that in the future, could compete for a championship and Deron’s going to be a major part of that. Whatever his relationship was with Coach Sloan that will not have any effect on our relationship. I never had a point guard with Deron’s talent level and skill level,” said Johnson before adding “he can play as many minutes as he wants to.”"

The Nets had found their superstar to move to Brooklyn, the cornerstone of the future.