National Basketball Association

Nets' Williams leaning toward staying?

Published Dec. 5, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

The shouts of joy emanating around New Jersey and reverberating to Brooklyn on Monday were from the Nets hierarchy after they heard Deron Williams' take on his future with the team.

"It's a strong possibility, I have a strong feeling that I'll re-sign here," said Williams who has said he intends to opt out at the end of the season when he can re-sign a five-year deal with the Nets for $100 million, some $42 more than if he signed an extension and about $25 million more than if he opted out and went somewhere else.

The easiest, though certainly not the only way to keep Williams would be to get Dwight Howard.

"That would be enough to convince me," Williams said.

"I've talked to him a lot. We've had some conversations. He knows I want to play [with] him. I don't think there's a player in the NBA who doesn't want to play with Dwight Howard," Williams said.

"I think he would love to play with me as well."

Williams re-iterated the positive impact the Nets' move to Brooklyn in the 2012-13 season has had on him and on potential free agents.

"I think this is going to be a great destination," Williams said of Brooklyn. "People know this is happening and they see it taking shape. They know it will be different. I think people will want to come here and play.

"It's going to be huge. Going to Brooklyn is going to be huge. We should sell out every night, just because of the new arena at first."