Deron Williams, the guy the Nets inked to a max contract just two years ago, was a complete disaster in the 2013-2014 season. His per game averages took major dips, and the guy who was once thought to be the best point guard in the NBA was nowhere to be seen. His fan-base has dwindled as a lot of people have lost all faith in him as a franchise player. Things couldn't possibly be worse for Williams. So the question must be asked: should the Nets try to trade Deron Williams?
My answer (as someone who is not a fan of Deron) is no. Why not? I'll tell you why I still have a millimeter of faith in the resurgence of Deron Williams, even if I am on record saying I don't. Because frankly, what do we have to lose by rooting for a comeback?
Is he going to be a superstar point guard like he was with the Jazz? No. The contract says he should be, but let's ignore the money aspect for a minute.
For the last two years, we have been watching a guy who has constantly been suffering ankle injuries. From bone spurs to sprains, Williams has been unable to get himself 100% healthy. Every year since being traded to the Nets, the guy has suffered some kind of injury. Should he be labeled as injury prone? I don't think so. The only people I label as injury prone are the ones who have done something to correct their injuries, but still continue to get hurt.
Williams just this summer decided to get surgery on his bummed ankles. I think the 2014-2015 season will see a much fresher D-Will. Not the guy we struggled to watch this past season. Surgery can do wonders for players who suffer injuries that hold them back. On the other hand, we've witnessed players in the past never fully bounce back from injury. All we can do is hope for the best.
Trading Williams right now would do nothing to help the Nets on the basketball court. His trade value has hit rock bottom, and now that we can look at the money aspect, we can see that his contract simply cannot be traded in a way that can make the team better. The only players that would be traded for a big contract like Williams' are players who also have big contracts that they aren't living up to. It'd be like trading Deron for himself. It just isn't worth it.
The risk of giving Deron one more chance is not as big as the risk of taking back players that are worse than he is. Trading him right now wouldn't make any sense at all. If his value is increased by the trade deadline, I may change my mind. But for now, I think Deron Williams should be here to stay.
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