The Nets, then in New Jersey, drafted the mercurial Williams with the 11th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. He mixed moments of electric passing and athleticism with poor on-court decision-making, eventually getting demoted to the D-League for missing practices and general misconduct. He did not enjoy his time in New Jersey.
Williams averaged 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in 88 games over two seasons with the Nets.
The Nets traded Williams to the Houston Rockets in 2010, in a three-team deal that netted them a first-round pick and Sasha Vujacic. Williams bounced around, getting waived by the Rockets, Kings, and Celtics, and is currently unsigned in the D-League free agent pool. He has dealt with numerous off-court incidents, including a gun charge when with the Celtics.
He is also the last Nets player to post a triple-double in a game, in an overtime win over the Chicago Bulls in the Nets’ 2009-10 season, which they finished 12-70.
The waiver wires in the D-League run by a complex set of rules. Each team is given a waiver wire ranking, and allowed to pick from a very specific pool of players that have contracts with the NBA, but not necessarily a team. That pool of players is only known to the teams making the selections, which begin this week. Williams is in that pool. Darius Johnson-Odom, a second-round pick in 2012 who impressed at the Nets’ D-League combine that year, is another.
The Maine Red Claws are another team that has interest in Williams, but a lower waiver priority. The Armor could theoretically claim Williams, then deal him to the Red Claws, effectively forcing them to pay a “toll” for his rights. But that would also cost the Nets their waiver spot.
Waiver claims go through early next week.
