Rob Grabowski-USA Today Sports
Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jason Terry, Andrei Kirilenko. It’s been virtually impossible to talk about the Brooklyn Nets this summer without mentioning at least one of these outstanding additions.
But while there’s no question that it’s these acquisitions that should elevate the Nets to the next level, the most important offensive piece to Brooklyn’s flashy overall puzzle isn’t any of these three.
That title still belongs to point guard Deron Williams, the man who decided to stick around after a demoralizing run with the team back in New Jersey.
Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson were already mainstays in the starting lineups before Pierce and Garnett were traded over from the Boston Celtics this summer. These four are all exceptional scorers, but Williams’ talents, as one of the league’s elite point guards as both a playmaker and scorer, will allow the offense to run even smoother than it would’ve with an average point guard.
Williams had the perfect opportunity to walk as a free agent back in 2012, but instead decided to sign long term just before the beginning of the Brooklyn era. That’s obviously turned out to be a decision he hasn’t regretted one bit, as the Nets have evolved into a powerhouse on paper going into their second season in New York City.
It’s an extremely fortunate situation for Williams that his value won’t diminish in the fashion that Amar’e Stoudemire’s did once the New York Knicks landed Carmelo Anthony in a deal with the Denver Nuggets in 2011. Stoudemire has essentially become a forgotten man since Anthony’s arrival.
To say that the Nets will go as Williams goes would have to be a stretch. That abundance of talent won’t have to be dependent on any single player’s productivity. However, Williams will still be Brooklyn’s most impactful offensive force on most nights.
There’s a rightful amount of hype surrounding the latest players to join the Nets, but Williams is still the team’s biggest offensive threat.
Mike B. Ruiz is a Brooklyn Nets writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @mikebruiz and “Like” him on Facebook.
