At a time when other Western Conference powers were adding pieces (Dallas) or at least standing pat (Lakers), the Utah Jazz were giving away a key rotation player to save money.
And that did not sit well with Deron Williams or the other Jazz players.
“I think if we’d make a trade it would be something a little different than that,” Williams said at the pregame shootaround. “You look at all the teams that are getting better around the West and we essentially get worse, if you ask me.”
Williams didn’t hide his frustration in talking to reporters and broadcasts, starting out by saying, “I really ain’t got nothing much good to say about the trade,” and declaring it was “pretty safe to say” his feelings were shared among the team.
Williams is in the fist year of a three-year deal (with a player option for a fourth) with the Jazz, which is a good thing for the franchise. Williams is the future and this summer he is likely to see Carlos Boozer leave and the team will have to start figuring out how to put more pieces around Williams, players that can move them out of the second tier of the West. The clock is ticking for the Jazz now.
“That’s why I signed a three-year deal.”