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Dimes and Disappointment: Deron Williams and the Brooklyn Nets

By Charles Daye

Feb 28, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) smiles from the court prior to the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) smiles from the court prior to the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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D-Will in New Jersey

The Nets saw an immediate improvement once Williams stepped on the court. Before his acquisition, the Nets were averaging less than 100 points per possession (99.4), scoring 91.2 points per 48 minutes, assisting on 57 percent of made field goals, and shooting less than 44 percent as a team. Once Williams started running the offense, the Nets started averaging 107.6 points per possession, scoring 103.4 points per 48 minutes, assisting on 67.5 percent of their made field goals and shooting 46 percent as a team.

Williams was playing like this with a nagging wrist injury. So New Jersey’s newest acquisition only played 12 games (of the remaining 20) after the trade deadline in 2011. In those 12 games, he showcased why he was arguably the best point guard in the league at that time, as he averaged a career-high 12.8 assists.

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During the 2011 lockout, Williams signed a $5 million dollar deal to play with Besiktas in Turkey. Williams scored 50 points in the first group stage of the FIBA EuroChallenge, going 17-of-23 from the field and 7-of-10 from three. Once the lockout ended, his #8 jersey was retired.

The Nets hoped Williams would lead the team to the playoffs in their last season in New Jersey, and for the first time since 2007. However, Brook Lopez broke his foot during the preseason, causing him to miss more than a couple of months. Despite the team’s struggles, Williams earned his third All-Star appearance, averaging 22 points and eight assists at the time of the All-Star break. After the All-Star break, Lopez returned, and the Nets improved.

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Williams scored a career-high and franchise record 57 points against the Charlotte Bobcats. It was the most points scored that season and the second-most scored against the Bobcats franchise.
Williams remained optimistic and positive as it pertained to resigning with the Nets. Lopez went down with another injury and the team failed to trade for superstar center Dwight Howard to pair with Williams in Brooklyn.

Williams averaged 21 points, 8.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 55 games for the Nets in their final season in New Jersey.

In an attempt to show Williams that they were serious about improving the team and to further persuade him to resign, the Nets traded their first-round pick, which only had a 1-to-3 protection, to the Portland Trail Blazers for small forward Gerald Wallace (an expiring contract). Their pick was the sixth overall and became Damian Lillard. The Nets signed Wallace to a four-year, $40 million extension in the 2012 offseason.