Deron Williams Opts Out Of Mavericks Deal

Deron Williams is the latest Maverick to inform the team of his decision to opt out, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein (Twitter link). Chandler Parsons and Dirk Nowitzki have also told the Mavs that they’re turning down their respective player options to sign new contracts.

[RELATED: Player option decisions for 2016/17]

We heard back in April that Williams intended to opt out of his contract this summer in order to seek a multiyear deal. At that time, reports indicated that the team and player had mutual interest in working out a new agreement that would allow Williams to return to Dallas. Once July 1st arrives, however, other teams will have the opportunity to make their own pitches to the veteran point guard.

Williams, who turns 32 on Sunday, appeared in 65 regular-season contests for the Mavericks in 2015/16, averaging 14.1 points, 5.8 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 32.4 minutes per game. While those numbers aren’t close to the ones Williams put up during his heyday in Utah, Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson pointed to what he saw as a renewed sense of enthusiasm in the point guard’s play this past season.

Williams’ player option for 2016/17 would have paid him $5,621,026, but with the cap on the rise, there’s a very good chance he’ll be able to surpass that salary on the open market, and he should be able to lock in a deal for more than one year as well.

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