Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams, who has stated his intentions to opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, told reporters Tuesday that he’s still undecided on his future.
“I want to reiterate, I don’t know what I’m doing next year,” Williams said. “Still. Nobody does but me. Not even my mom, my brother, my uncle, my cousin. I haven’t talked to anybody about where I’m going next year.”
The Nets can offer Williams more years and money than another other team once he opts out — five years, $109 million compared to four years, $81 million. But there will be other suitors. It is expected that the Dallas Mavericks will make a run at Williams, who grew up there.
But Williams doesn’t appreciate everyone speculating about where he’ll end up.
“I just hate that people think they know where I’m going, because I don’t know where I’m going,” said Williams, who isn’t allowed to talk with other teams since he hasn’t opted out yet. “So there’s no way for them to know, or assume that I’m going to Dallas or that I’m staying here. I don’t know. There could be another team that comes into the picture.”
Last week, Williams went to Russia and visited with Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and general manager Billy King at the EuroLeague Final Four in Turkey.
“People say I’m staying here for sure because I went to Russia,” Williams said. “Yeah, I went to Russia. I’ve never been to Russia. A.K. [former Utah Jazz teammate Andrei Kirilenko]’s been telling me to come to Russia for the last six years, so, I went to Russia. It was close to Turkey. I went to Turkey because I love Turkey, I played there for three months. I wanted to see my teammates. I wanted to check out some games, so I went to Istanbul.”
This week, the All-Star point guard has been working out at the Nets’ practice facility in East Rutherford, N.J. He’s even been seen wearing Nets’ practice attire.
But Williams doesn’t want anyone to read anything into all that. After all, he’s still under contract with the Nets.
“I’m here right now because I sold my house in San Diego so I can’t go there,” Williams said. “I have a house in Utah that I’m trying to sell, but it has no furniture in it, so I can’t go there. Plus my kids are in school till June 28, so I have to stay here. Then I leave on July 5 for the Olympic training. So it doesn’t really make sense for me to go anywhere.”
Williams wants to figure out where he’s going to play immediately after the free agency period begins. He wants to have security in case he were to get injured during the Olympics.
Williams is going to Dallas later this week. Granted, he’s just going to visit family.
“I’m from there,” Williams said. “My mom lives there. My brother lives there. My aunt, my uncles live there. I’m going there to have my son’s birthday party. I’m going Thursday through Tuesday.
WRITTEN BY Mike Mazzeo | Special to ESPNNewYork.com & FULL STORY HERE
