Stephen A Smith's response to Paul Pierce's comments earlier this season explains everything we witnessed firsthand during his tenure with the Brooklyn Nets
No one ever questions Deron Williams' talent. This man can play the game of basketball and when he brings his A Game, he can be one of the top point guards in the game. The problem is, we haven't seen his A game in years. It has been completely and utterly non existent. I'm talking about his A game. There are spots when it may show up for a game or two, and by and large, to be kind he has been a bust. And he has been a bust, not because of his skills, not because of his abilities, but because of two reasons. Number 1: Deron Williams does not want to be in Brooklyn. He doesn't want to be in that spotlight. He stayed there because they offered him the most money, regardless of what he says. Number 2, and just as important, he doesn't have the makeup to be the franchise player in a big market city. Deron Williams is a man, and I say that in a complimentary fashion from this respect. He ain't got time for nonsense, he is all about doing his job, and going home to his wife and kids. That's Deron Williams. He's that kid of guy from what I have been told. My point is that to be a franchise caliber player you've gotta be a little something extra from that. You've gotta want it- you gotta want greatness- not just for your team, but for yourself. It can't be where you're losing and you're struggling, but you've done your job, give me my check so I can go home...he can contribute on almost any team in the NBA because he's just that gifted. The issue in question is, does he truly want it. He truly epitomizes, and I know players hate to say this but it's the absolute truth- this is why you don't want max deals lasting five, six, or seven years. You want three at the most or whatever the case may be, because then his tenure in Brooklyn would be over by now and you could move forward, but they still owe him a significant chunk of change...Deron Willaims doesn't want it. Deron Williams can play, but he's not a winner...his record, and his level of production, and his attitude about losing shows it. Guess what, we should be hearing these quotes [RE: Paul Pierce] from Deron Williams about somebody else. Not from somebody else about Deron Williams. But, we've heard it...We heard it when Jerry Sloan left...We heard it when Avery Johnson left...We heard it when PJ Carlissemo left...and we're hearing it now from former players.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGryVT_68vM[/youtube]


"Kevin Durant is not coming to the Nets. If I'm wrong, I will change my avatar to anything you request no matter how humiliating it is." - MrDollarBills, 10/22/18