The Dallas Mavericks and veteran point guard Deron Williams have negotiated a contract buyout, according to The Vertical’s Shams Charania. Dallas officially announced the news soon thereafter.
Deron Williams waives by Mavericks and Cavaliers poised to capitalize
Williams is likely to join the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Jazz and Hawks are also interested in the veteran point guard.
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The Mavericks had told Williams they would pay out the full remaining amount of the $10 million contract he signed in the offseason if a buyout was reached, according to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein.
Now that Dallas has let go of its 32-year-old point guard NBA.com’s David Aldridge reports Williams will work out a deal to join the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks are other teams interested in signing the veteran floor general, according to Charania.
Williams, a Dallas native, is averaging 13.1 points and 6.9 assists in 29 minutes per game with the Mavericks. But the team has pivoted toward developing Yogi Ferrell as its full-time point guard for the future.
The Mavericks (22-34) are far from competing for a championship at 12th in the Western Conference standings. Williams would rather compete for a title than endure a rebuild in his hometown.
Williams projects to be a good fit behind Kyrie Irving in Cleveland, given LeBron James’ public demands for the team to go after a “f——— playmaker” via free agency or trade. The Cavaliers’ only reserve point guard is rookie Kay Felder.
Williams enjoyed the heydays of his NBA career as a pick-and-roll maestro under Jerry Sloan’s Utah Jazz, where he averaged 17.3 points and 9.1 assists across six seasons alongside Carlos Boozer. His career begun trending downward after a trade sent him to the Nets in 2011.
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