The last time Mo Williams signed an NBA contract, he had the look of a rising star amid a second-round success story for the ages. He parlayed an all-around performance of 17.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds a game into a $51.263MM contract that stretched out over six years, a length that wouldn't be allowed under the current collective bargaining agreement. Just one season into the arrangement, Milwaukee traded him to the Cavs, who thought he could be a much-needed second scoring option next to LeBron James. Williams never really became that kind of player in Cleveland, and two more trades later, his value on the open market isn't what it used to be.

His replacements struggled when Williams missed two and a half months with a severely sprained right thumb this season, but the Jazz had a better record when he was out (21-15) than when he played (22-24). The 30-year-old averaged 12.9 PPG this year, his fewest since 2005/06, and he did so on an amount of shot attempts that's held steady the past four seasons. His assists were up over last season, when he primarily played shooting guard next to Chris Paul with the Clippers, but his turnovers jumped as well, and he finished with an assists-to-turnover ratio of 2.28.  

Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey praised Williams' performance prior to the injury this season, and indicated the team was open to bringing him back as the team's point guard. When Williams returned, his assists went down by one a game and his shooting percentage dropped from .441 to .418. More importantly, the Jazz failed to make the playoffs, and that may weigh most heavily on Lindsey's mind.

Lindsey and executive vice president of basketball operations Kevin O'Connor are notoriously tight-lipped, so it's hard to say what their opinion of Williams is now. The Jazz only have seven players under contract for next season, meaning the front office has plenty to consider. Negotiating with Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap or their replacements is likely the team's first priority, so what happens in the early days of free agency could have a significant effect on Williams' next contract. 

The Alabama product's declining play figures to bring about a commensurate decline in salary. The question is how much less Williams will have to take after making $8.5MM this season. He's helped by a class of free agent point guards that's fairly weak after Paul, who's likely to re-sign with the Clippers, and restricted free agents Brandon Jennings and Jeff Teague. Teams will likely be choosing between Williams, Jose Calderon and Jarrett Jack. Calderon will probably be the top pick among them, particularly for teams looking for pure, pass-first point guards. Our Luke Adams estimated that Calderon could command three years and more than $20MM on his next deal. 

Jack and Williams wound up with precisely the same scoring average this season, though Jack probably played a greater role in his team's offense down the stretch. A team could give Jack an inflated offer to try to scare off the financially inflexible Warriors, and that may mean a similar offer for Williams.

It's more likely Williams winds up with the full mid-level exception, which would be a four-year deal with a starting salary of $5.15MM. Taking the mid-level would allow Williams to sign with teams that are over the cap. He's been with plenty of winning squads of late, but Williams has only once been as far as the conference finals, so winning may be a priority. Williams will be even more likely to sign with a contender if he and agent Mark Bartelstein let teams know he's open to coming off the bench, as he did last season with the Clippers.

Brandon Roy returned to Portland for the first time as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. Although he did not play, he did address the media. Here's what else is going on in the Northwest Division:

• Gordon Hayward was mentored by fellow Jazz guard Mo Williams during his recovery from his recent shoulder injury, writes Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune.
• Hayward has also served as a sparring partner in practice for Enes Kanter, Jody Genessy of the Desert News writes.
• Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune talks to Nicolas Batum about his free agency and near-signing with the Timberwolves this past offseason.
• Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune wonders whether Flip Saunders is in line to be the next GM of the Wolves.
• John Canzano of the Oregonian chronicles the bond between Blazers guard Nolan Smith and Duke's Quinn Cook.

Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey spoke to reporters on Monday, and while he didn't comment on specific trade talks or targets with next week's deadline approaching, he addressed a few topics of interest in more general terms. Jody Genessy of the Deseret News has the notable quotes from Lindsey, so let's round them up right here:

On what sort of moves the Jazz are exploring:

"We have the foundation in place and a lot of flexibility to allow us to make decisions in going in whatever direction we want. If this team catches a great rhythm and advances in the playoffs, we can invest in that. If the team doesn't meet expectations, our internal expectations, we can readjust the team in a lot of different ways."

On whether the team is involved in more trade talks than usual:

"Normal course of business. I wouldn’t characterize it as saying any more or any less busy. We have a job to do. We can't hide from that. Kevin [O'Connor] and I have to listen and survey. Our overriding point is we want to be very disciplined to the threshold that's been built, the flexibility that's been built.... We want to be very strategic (about) who we add. Is there a value add? This is now, draft, free agency. Do they fit the character of our playing group and our organization?"

On bringing along young players like Alec Burks, Enes Kanter, and Derrick Favors slowly:

"We understand the public - as we are - is excited about the young guys, but we've got to bring them a long at the appropriate pace. I think we're adhering to the history of the organization when we're doing that.... What is Derrick averaging minute-wise, 21-22 minutes? What's the greater good, giving him 28 or 30? Does he develop better? Or is the greater good giving him a real sense of appreciation that he earned the additional bump in minutes eventually whenever that is? I don't know."

On whether Mo Williams, a free agent at season's end, could be Utah's point guard past this season:

"Yes, he could. We'll see how the rest of the season goes. I'll say this, he's acquitted himself well here. He's been very professional and we really appreciate what he's done so far."

On whether the Jazz will look to land a star or build a team-first roster of solid players:

"I think there's a lot of different ways to team-build. You can look at different models, whether it's heavily star-driven, a true franchise player that is an all-time great, or you have a Detroit model, for lack of better description, where they do it with five good starters and good depth.... I think with how we're positioned, we have the ability to react to a lot of different scenarios and team-build in a lot of different ways. I don't mean to harp on flexibility. I think that's a strength of ours is to react to markets."

• In another article, Schmitt-Boyer extracts thoughts from C.J. Miles' former coach Tyrone Corbin about the shooting guard's solid development in Cleveland. 
• In what is considered a big step in the right direction during his recovery, Al Harrington participated in 3-on-3 scrimmages with the Magic at the end of Saturday's practice (Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports). 
• Rockets coach Kevin McHale, who says that he hasn't seen or spoken with Royce White in over a month, responded with "Out of sight, out of mind" when asked about the rookie forward's current status with the team, notes Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press. 
• In another article regarding the Timberwolves' newly signed wing player Mickael Gelabale, Richardson writes that the Frenchman garnered recommendations from fellow Olympic teammates Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum, and Ronny Turiaf. Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune says that Gelabale looks at his opportunity at an NBA comeback as something that has been on his mind for the last five years. 
• Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida delves into Vince Carter's goal of someday making it into the Basketball Hall of Fame. 

You could make a convincing case that the biggest NBA news out of the Western Conference so far today has been Kobe Bryant's arrival on Twitter. With just a single tweet to his name, Kobe has already racked up over 200,000 followers, a figure that continues to grow exponentially. There's plenty going on around the rest of the conference too though, so let's check out a few links....

• Trail Blazers point guard Nolan Smith, a former 21st overall pick, is on a mission to prove that he's not a bust, and feels good about his impending free agency, as he tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
• Royce White appeared on SiriusXM radio to discuss his refusal of a D-League assignment, and both Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle and Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside have passed along a few of White's more interesting comments. Among them: White suggested the chances that he never plays in the NBA are "very high" and said that playing for a team besides the Rockets wouldn't be a solution.
• Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News expects O.J. Mayo to score a big contract next summer, but isn't sure it'll come from the Mavericks. The Mavs figure to be targeting the top free agents of the class before circling back to Mayo, according to Sefko.
• Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News is critical of the make-up of the Mavericks' roster, opining that with so many players on expiring deals, they're playing for contracts rather than wins.
• The Jazz announced today that Mo Williams underwent successful surgery on his injured right thumb, as Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune writes.
• Roster construction has been a bigger problem than DeMarcus Cousins for the Kings, according to Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com.

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Wednesday evening:

• Jazz guard Mo Williams is expected to miss six weeks following thumb surgery. It will be interesting to keep an eye on what roster moves Utah makes to account for his absence.
• Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News examines several reasons the Warriors are having such a successful season.
• John Mitchell of Philly.com writes that former Sixers big man Nikola Vucevic is beginning to realize his potential with the Magic.
• Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel looks at the path Ishmael Smith followed that led to his signing with the Magic.
• Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Brandon Roy is practicing with the Timberwolves but it is still unknown when he will return to the court.
• Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun writes that J.J. Hickson's stellar recent play has been a nice surprise for the Trail Blazers.

After a busy Christmas Day in the NBA, there's no let-up on Boxing Day, with all but six teams in action later tonight -- the Bulls and the Pacers will be two of the teams with today off, after Indiana announced that tonight's game would be postponed due to poor weather conditions. As we look forward to a full evening slate, we'll check in on a few updates from around the NBA:

• Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio answered reader questions about the Cavaliers in a chat, saying that he believes that if Cleveland is to trade Anderson Varejao, it's likely that would happen this season, with the Cavs looking for a big man and multiple first-round picks in return.
• Omer Asik burned his old team for 20 points and 18 rebounds yesterday, and what makes it even more painful for the Bulls is that backup center has been one of Chicago’s weaknesses this season, as Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com writes.
• According to coach Lawrence Frank, the Pistons aren't ready to hand over major minutes to Andre Drummond and other young players at the cost of trying to win games now. If the organization goes in that direction later this season, the club will be upfront about the decision, says Frank. MLive.com's David Mayo has the details.
• The Mavericks also continue to prioritize wins over player development, though coach Rick Carlisle tells Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that player development is a "major focus of our team."
• Wizards coach Randy Wittman told Shelvin Mack that what prompted the team to sign him wasn't his prior experience with Washington, but his play in the D-League, where he was in the top 10 in both scoring and assists, as Michael Lee of The Washington Post chronicles.
• Mo Williams, playing in a contract year, will be sidelined indefinitely with what the Jazz are calling a "severely sprained" right thumb, says Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

In addtion to Steve Nash's Lakers debut tonight, another major talking point in the Pacific Division involves the Kings' suspension of DeMarcus Cousins. According to Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick of USA Today, a source close the team's plans says that the former Kentucky big man isn't untouchable. Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM feels that Sacramento and the Magic would benefit by exploring trade talks, as both have pieces that could help the other side (Twitter link). Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops also weighed in, offering four different scenarios in which the Kings could deal the fourth-year player. With that aside, here are some of the other notable stories we're hearing from the NBA this evening: 

• Jim Eichenhoffer of Hornets.com tweets that Eric Gordon has been cleared for full contact practice. 
• Jenni Carlson of NewsOK believes that dealing James Harden to Houston has made the Thunder a better and more fluid team, pointing to the significant increase in assist numbers by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. 
• Jan Vesely has yet to earn a consistent role during a turbulent start to his second-year campaign with the struggling Wizards, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. “It’s tough, especially when the team is losing,” Vesely said of his current role. “Everybody try to stay positive but sometimes it’s hard. I try to practice everyday, work on my game and stay ready for my chance to play.”
• Darius Morris may not be ready for a starting job, but Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times writes about how the Lakers' sophomore guard has found a significant role in Mike D'Antoni's rotation (Sulia link).
• Two years ago and just months removed from "The Decision", Jazz guard Mo Williams (then with Cleveland) and Heat superstar LeBron James may not have necessarily been on each other's holiday greetings list. Today, Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune notes how the two former teammates had nothing but glowing remarks to say about each other heading into tonight's matchup between Utah and Miami. 

The latest news and notes from the Northwest Division on Tuesday night:

• J.J. Barea and Nikola Pekovic are both expected to play for the Timberwolves on Wednesday, reports Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
• Wolves coach Rick Adleman told Ray Richardson of the Twin Cities Pioneer Press that doctors cleaned debris out of the knee of Brandon Roy.
• Joe Freeman of the Oregonian sheds some light on Blazers coach Terry Stotts' attempt to juggle the minutes of rookies Victor Claver, Joel Freeland, and Will Barton.
• Freeman also notes that so far, Nicolas Batum is living up to the four-year, $44MM contract he signed this summer.
• Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune writes that Mo Williams is proving to be a perfect fit on the Jazz' roster.

Let's round up the latest notes out of the Pacific Division, where the preseason standings, which feature the Warriors at the top and the Lakers at the bottom, are nearly an inverse of last year's regular-season standings....

• While many players weren't happy on the Rockets last season, Suns forward Luis Scola wasn't one of them, says Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld (via Sulia). According to Ingram, Scola had been hoping to finish his career in Houston.
• Michael Beasley and Wesley Johnson feel as if they've been cast off by their previous teams and are hoping to prove themselves with the Suns, according to Ingram (Sulia link). Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry still believes both players can live up to their draft slots (No. 2 for Beasley, No. 4 for Johnson).
• Lamar Odom, acquired by the Clippers in the offseason, was held out of the team's game last night, and coach Vinny Del Negro attributed it in part to conditioning issues. "He's got to work through some conditioning things and some health things right now, which he's doing," Del Negro said, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. "Yeah, I wish he was in a little bit better conditioning, and he wishes he was. But he's just got to continue to work every day and I'm sure he'll get there eventually."
• On the other hand, Chauncey Billups, who was re-signed by the Clippers this summer, is ahead of schedule in his rehab from an achilles injury, and Del Negro believes he could return in late November, according to Turner.
• After having been traded by the Clippers to the Jazz this offseason, Mo Williams told Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com he holds no ill will toward the Clips.
• Andrew Bogut will have his left ankle, which continues to keep him out of action, examined on Monday in Los Angeles, as Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group writes. Bogut hopes to be ready to play in the Warriors' regular-season opener, but he's "still a ways away," according to coach Mark Jackson.