Deron Williams is going to test the free agent market, except for him it’s not much of a test.
We know what the market is for him — D-Will is a max player who will get multiple max offers. Dallas, Indiana, any team that has max contract space this summer will reach out with the same offer. The question for Williams is really where he wants to play. We’ve assumed his hometown of Dallas has the advantage there.
Buy why not Brooklyn?
New arena in the city, cap space, they can offer him a little more money and one guaranteed more year. And by all reports Williams has loved living in the city and the business opportunities that provides. Plus, sweet new logo.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweeted this:
The issue in Brooklyn is winning for the ultra-competitive Williams. The Nets sucked last year, traded away their pick in this draft (top 3 protected) for Gerald Wallace who also is a free agent and can leave, and unless the Magic decide they want to trade Dwight Howard after all the Nets have no real prospect at a star to go with Williams.
Does he trust Nets management to turn it around enough to stay?
I don’t know Bondy’s sources, but my guess is in Brooklyn right now they think they have a shot. My guess is sources in Dallas think the Mavs are the team to beat. We will see.
The good news here is it will not drag out, D-Will says he wants a contract in place before the Olympics.