The Brooklyn Nets made a graceful exit from the 2014 NBA Playoffs on Wednesday night, but even with less than 24 hours since their defeat at the hands of the Miami Heat, speculation has shifted to the future. With that mind, Nets point guard Deron Williams made an interesting revelation on Thursday, and it had to do with the status of his oft-discussed ankles.
The 29-year-old Williams appeared in 64 regular season and all 12 playoff games this season, but in watching him on the floor, he is a shell of his former self. Williams averaged 14.3 points and 6.1 assists per game on the year, and both numbers would represent career lows if not for his rookie campaign that included coming off the bench in Utah.
Despite his burly frame, Williams has been injury-prone in recent seasons, and even when he is on the floor, the ankle injuries have noticeably sapped his explosiveness and athleticism. You never want to hear “surgery” and “both ankles” used together in a sentence, but perhaps it would be good for Williams and his long-term viability to go under the knife at this stage.
Unfortunately for Brooklyn, they have more than $43 million invested in Williams over the next two seasons, and any missed time would certainly be a blow to a team that will likely lose Kevin Garnett (to retirement) and Paul Pierce (to free agency) in the coming days. The Nets could look very different this time next season, but they are undeniably tied to Williams, and it will be intriguing to see how this plays out.