The future of Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Deron Williams remains in doubt.
Williams signed a one year, $410,733 contract with the Cavaliers, all of it guaranteed, but he becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2017. His previous team, D. Will’s hometown Dallas Mavericks, paid him $9,000,000 in 2016-17.
After an absolutely abysmal NBA Finals performance (he finished with just five points on 2-of-16 shooting, 1-of-9 from three-point range and five turnovers in just 61 total minutes of action), many are wondering if Deron Williams will return at all to the league next season.
His close friend and college teammate Dee Brown says that the 32-year-old backup to Kyrie Irving will indeed return for a 13th NBA season. We asked if him if he thinks he’ll be back with the Cavs.
“I wish, but I know he’s going to get a job though,” Brown responded.
“He’ll have a job.”
“He still knows how to play this game at a high level,” he added during the media availability that preceded the first ever Illini Athletics Hall of Fame gala.
The inaugural class had a lot of big names, including: Deron Williams, Dee Brown, Nick Anderson (the first three on this list were men’s basketball inductees), Lou Boudreau, Dick Butkus, Red Grange, George Halas, Steve Stricker and more.
#illini hall of fame gala @FieldMuseum pic.twitter.com/eT1uHA9PKf
— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) June 24, 2017
The event was held Friday night in Stanley Hall at the Field Museum of Natural History. Men’s basketball comprised one quarter of the Hall of Fame class, providing seven of the 28 members. There many loud standing ovations, but perhaps the introduction of Lou Henson was the liveliest of all. It’s safe to say Henson could be inducted next year.
Deron Williams did not attend, but Brown said he’s doing just fine these days, and that he handled the NBA Finals loss.
“Deron loves the game, he’s a competitor, he hates to lose, he doesn’t want to play bad,” Brown said.
“The game’s been good to him, he’s got a beautiful family, so Deron’s doing well.”
Although Brown couldn’t say where Williams will be plying his trade next season, the fact that Brown believes he’ll be back next season is certainly a good sign for Williams’ career.
Nick Anderson and @deebrown11 and @miketirico @IlliniAthletics hall of fame gala @FieldMuseum #illini #illinihof pic.twitter.com/HwsxmHrtxd
— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) June 24, 2017
After all, down the stretch of the regular season and postseason, Williams showed flashes of the assets that he can potentially bring to a NBA roster.
Also, with Brown being so close to Williams, he’s a great source of information.
Brown said the two men are like brothers, and it’s a brotherhood that developed on the 2004-05 Illinois Fighting Illini team that went 37-2 and fell just a few points of winning the national title against North Carolina.
“We were brothers, each guy took care of each other,” Brown said of his ’04-’05 Champaign Campaign teammates.
“Each guy came everyday and brought it, Each one developed. Deron Williams came in not being able to shoot the basketball, and left as an incredible shooter.”
For the full Dee Brown audio listen below, and take note that we’ll have an exclusive with Brown, discussing his departure from Illinois, as well as his future plans going forward, published on Tuesday morning.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes to WGN CLTV and KOZN.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Sound Cloud, LinkedIn and YouTube.
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