Deron Williams set to opt out of New Jersey Nets deal – NBA Update
New Jersey Nets super star Deron Williams is set to opt out of his deal with the franchise at the end of the current NBA season. The point guard has hinted before and confirmed his intention after the passing of the 15th March trade deadline.
"I'm not going to opt-in. It's not monkey-see, monkey-do," Williams told the New York Daily News Friday morning. "Wherever I go is hopefully where I'm going to retire."
Williams has a deal with the Nets until the end of next season, however he has a clause that will allow him to opt out of it at the end of the current NBA season. Orlando Magic super star Dwight Howard was in a similar situation before the deadline but he
waived his option of opting out, ensuring that he will stay with the Magic until the end of the 2012-2013 season.
Some quarters had expected Williams to do the same, but the point guard insists that was never on the card. He explained that unlike Howard, he always intended to opt out at the end of the current NBA season, because it makes much more sense to him financially.
"I'm not (going through the same things) because I've said all year I'm going to play this whole year out and see what happens," said Williams. "So I haven't been flip-flopping and gone back and forth. It's not even close to being the same situation."
If Williams opts out at the end of the season, he would be eligible to sign anywhere, probably with a max contract. New Jersey still hold the edge however because they can offer him a five year deal, and more money, while the rest of the NBA franchises would
only be able to offer a 4 year deal.
Therefore, financially, it would be best for Deron if he resigned with the club. There will no doubt be other franchises vying for his signature, such as the Dallas Mavericks who have cleared plenty of salary cap space for the 2012 offseason. Williams also
grew up near Dallas, so the prospect of playing there would be attractive to him.
The Nets though are not overly worried, as their General Manager Billy King explained.
"They are a threat but they've got to do a lot of work to get to the point of creating the space for him, moving and cutting players," King said in an interview with WFAN.
The Nets know that the best way to keep Deron with the franchise is to show him that they are ambitious and ready to challenge the big boys of the NBA. They took a step in that direction on deadline day by acquiring Gerald Wallace, a former All Star, in
exchange for centre Mehmet Okur, small forward Shawne Williams and their 2012 first-round pick.
Tags: