Nets fans to Deron Williams: Zero Tolerance Policy

I promised I wouldn’t do it, but I just can’t help myself. After last night’s disappearing act, how can I ignore the latest in the Deron Williams saga?

What made last night so frustrating was that the Nets had a legitimate chance to steal the game and even the series. Had Williams scored a basket or two, the landscape and outcome of the game probably would’ve been completely different.   Obviously, players have off nights shooting, but to not score a single point is unfathomable. I thought we had seen it all with our once prized point guard, but clearly I was wrong.

I am not even labeling Deron a great player anymore, because he isn’t. To say that he is slightly above average is a more accurate classification, because every good performance is matched by a lackluster one. What infuriates me is that even average or below average players will compete and battle. If your jumper isn’t falling, then find a way to get to the free throw line. Drive on your opponent and draw some contact. The bottom line – be aggressive!

The fans are sick of watching as well.

What’s ironic is that the man currently coaching the Nets was a player who could get away with not scoring because he knew how to make his teammates better. Think about it! Could the New Jersey Nets compete and win with Jason Kidd scoring only 5 points on 2-6 shooting? They did because he still impacted the game in other areas. Can these Brooklyn Nets win if Deron is 4-13 from the field for 10 points? From what we’ve seen over the past two seasons, you can’t say “yes” with any conviction. Now how are we supposed to defeat the two-time defending champions when our max-contract player puts up a donut in the scoring column?

I am fully aware that I tend to speak in hyperbole at times, but I have to ask the following question: Can Deron Williams return to this team if he is a complete no-show and the Nets are swept out of this round? I realize that his contract is practically impossible to move, but figuratively speaking, how can he return to Brooklyn? His reputation seems to be on the brink of irreversible damage with the collective Net fan base. Even his most loyal supporters have begun to sour on him. I can only imagine what Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Kidd truly think of him.

If all of this is attributed to his ankle, then the problem needs to finally be addressed once and for all this offseason with the surgery that seems to be put off constantly. I would be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt if he showed better body language and a competitive spirit. Even if his level of play has dropped off, he could still inspire and lead his teammates. Although these are intangible qualities, they are quite visible to anyone watching.

To Met fans, his strikeouts were only entertaining in the movie, Rookie of the Year.

Although it is a different sport, there’s a player who comes to mind when I think of Deron Williams now – Bobby Bonilla. If you recall, there was much excitement when the New York Mets were able to sign him away from Pittsburgh, where he was a major part of the Pirates’ success. Once he arrived in New York, his production fell off dramatically making him unworthy of the lucrative contract that he signed. Aside from being a colossal disappointment on the field, Bonilla’s brief tenure was marred with antics that made him unlikeable to virtually every Met fan. Finally, the organization had enough and after three years, they shipped their overpaid, underwhelming, and unpleasant “star” to the Baltimore Orioles.

Although Deron is not overtly obnoxious with fans and media the way Bonilla was, there is no denying that his aloofness rubs people the wrong way. He just seems to give off the “asshole vibe” and considering his track record with coaches, it makes you wonder if his teammates think highly of him.

If these are the final days of the Nets’ 2013-14 season, I can only imagine what Mikhail Prokhorov is thinking. Considering the owner’s willingness to spend and eagerness to win a championship, this two year experiment by Billy King has produced unsatisfying results. Prokhorov demands results, and when they aren’t delivered sweeping changes are made.

With the negativity surrounding his play, it wouldn’t surprise me if Prokhorov insists that King (or whoever the next general manager is) do whatever it takes to eventually move Williams’s contract. It certainly won’t be an easy task, but if Gerald Wallace was dealt, so can Deron. The Nets would obviously have to take back a bad contract and/or include a future pick, but nothing is impossible. Perhaps there is a general manager out there who believes a change of scenery may right the ship.

Remember when this was supposed to be the beginning of D-Will’s resurgence?

After three and a half seasons, disappointment is an understatement. When we acquired him, I was ecstatic that the Nets were getting an elite playmaker that would pump excitement and positive energy back into the franchise. Who could have predicted that this would end up as more of a soap opera than the entire “Melo-Drama”?

What’s most alarming is that the perfect mentors (Kidd, Pierce, and Garnett) seemed to have failed in their efforts to transform Deron into the player he needs to be. If these three future Hall of Famers with championship pedigrees couldn’t do it, then who can?

Assuming this ends as bad as it feels right now, then maybe it’s time for a breakup.  This relationship is no longer healthy for anyone involved.