Lionel Hollins: Deron Williams 'not a franchise player anymore'
Deron Williams was supposed to be the star of the Nets when he re-signed to stay in Brooklyn. Instead, he turned into one of the pieces bogging down the franchise.
Williams still has two years left on his deal. He'll make $21 million next season, but the Brooklyn point guard averaged just 13.0 points and 6.6 assists per game during 2014-15, often looking unhealthy and inconsistent.
Williams isn't a star anymore. Everyone knows that—including Nets coach Lionel Hollins.
“He’s not a franchise player anymore,” Hollins said this past week, via ESPN's Mike Mazzeo. “He’s a good player, he’s a solid player, but I don’t think he’s a franchise player anymore. That’s just my opinion. He’s a good player. I’m proud of the way he’s bounced back and played, and there’s so much pressure on him to be a franchise player, and everybody talks about a franchise player, but we need to have a franchise team."
Hollins is known for his brutal honesty in talking both to his players and the media. This was, apparently, one of those times.
He's taken some flack for admitting the obvious, but what else should we expect him to say? His expensive point guard hasn't been "great" for two or three years. Anyone who's watched Brooklyn during that time period—expert or not—can pick up on that. And if part of a coach's job is getting players to know and accept their roles, maybe this is just Hollins doing the necessary.
