Deron chooses Brooklyn over Dallas
UPDATE: Williams re-signed with the Nets.
DERON WILLIAMS
Point guard, New Jersey Nets
2011-12 salary: $16.4 million
Unrestricted free agent
Pair Williams with a big man and you immediately have a title contender. He is an excellent facilitator, and has great range; when he catches fire on offense, you can't stop him.
Credit: AP
Deron Williams has made his decision: he's Brooklyn bound.
The free agent point guard announced his choice on Twitter just after 7 p.m., ending the Nets' lengthy courtship. Ever since they traded for him in February of last year, the Nets tried to sell Williams on the prospect of starting something new in Brooklyn and being the face of franchise.
Now, that'll be the case when the Nets move into the $1 billion Barclays Center in the fall.
Williams, who mulled over returning to the Nets or joining his hometown Mavericks in Dallas, has agreed to a five-year deal worth a reported $98.5 million. His decision to play for Brooklyn is just the latest in a flurry of moves for the Nets since free agency began Sunday.
Earler today, the Nets reportedly agreed to a three-year deal with Bosnian forward Mirza Teletovic and also have a sign-and-trade deal in place with the Clippers to acquire forward Reggie Evans for a second-round pick.
Yesterday, the Nets agreed to trade for the Hawks' Joe Johnson in exchange for Anthony Morrow, Jordan Farmar, Johan Petro, Jordan Williams, DeShawn Stevenson and a 2013 first-round pick acquired from the Rockets.
The Nets opened things up Sunday by agreeing to terms on a four-year, $40-million pact for Gerald Wallace. So, they've been quite active in free agency and have made themselves one of the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference -- on paper at least -- and GM Billy King surely isn't done configuring the roster just yet.
No deals become official until July 11 when the NBA's moratorium on player transactions is lifted.
