Trail Blazers guard Mo Williams will opt out of his contract following the 2013-14 season, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll leave Portland, reports CSN Northwest's Chris Haynes. Williams told Haynes he had planned to opt out of his two-year, $5.6 million deal signed this past offseason in order to secure a longer-term deal with the Blazers.
Mo Williams will opt out of contract with Blazers
Backup guard Mo Williams has been a big part of the Portland Trail Blazers’ resurgence, but he’ll opt out of his contract, hoping to sign a new deal with his current team.
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Don’t believe him? Williams compared Portland’s roster makeup to gumbo and said that is the main reason he’d like to work out a long-term deal this summer.
“Some teams have a dish where you got your steak, potatoes and asparagus,” Williams explained. “We’re gumbo. Without one of the ingredients, the gumbo just doesn’t taste well. But when everything is in that pot, it’s just like grandma did it.”
Williams is averaging 9.4 points and 4.9 assists per game for the 27-9 Blazers this season, and though he's a backup, he's playing 24 minutes per game behind second-year point guard Damian Lillard.
The twist in Williams' eventual decision in free agency could depend on where he fits alongside rookie C.J. McCollum. Portland took McCollum 10th in the 2013 draft, but a foot injury has kept him out until Wednesday, when he returned from a broken foot. McCollum, who like Williams can play either on the ball or off, threatens to immediately eat up Williams' minutes.
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Then again, McCollum could also play alongside Williams, and at 6'4 won't be a major defensive liability because of his size -- being a rookie is another story. That would allow the Blazers, who have struggled to build bench depth until this season, to play with a four-guard rotation including Lillard, Williams, McCollum and starting shooting guard Wes Matthews.
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