Deron Williams wants to play for the Dallas Mavericks next season.
He just has a funny way of showing it.
“I haven’t even thought about it,” Williams said when asked about his potential free agency. “I just was worried about finishing the season on a strong note. Once I got hurt, the focus was just trying to get back and be able to play, so I haven’t even thought about it. That’s something I will discuss with my agent and my wife, and we’ll figure it out.
“I would love to be back. Like I said, this was a great year for me, and I’m definitely happy here. My family is settled and happy here, so it’d definitely be great to be back. It was good. You know, it was a great situation, and I definitely would love to be back.”
The point guard, who will turn 32 in June, apparently plans to opt out of his contract and enter free agency. He is owed just over $5.6 million next season, and given his injury history and declining production, it’s not year clear if he’s done enough to secure a multiyear raise.
If he has, well, don’t bank on him being in Dallas next season. The Mavericks already have J.J. Barea and Devin Harris under lock and key, and Raymond Felton would be a far cheaper option for them to explore.
So if Deron Williams really wishes to remain with the Mavericks, he’ll need to hand out some sort of hometown discount. And since he’s already shown he most likely won’t opt into the next year of his deal, a hometown discount is something on which the Mavericks simply cannot count.
