"I'm going to play with a chip on my shoulder anyway," Williams said. "What hurts me the most about the situation is that when I came to the Clippers my thing was to sign an extension and be here for the rest of my career, and then it all changed. To be honest with you, I don't know where I stand with the organization now."If you've come looking for soft, conciliatory quotes about how great Paul and Billups are as players, or how honored Williams will be to play alongside and learn from them, this isn't the place.
Williams makes no secret of the hurt he felt when the Clippers traded for Paul and claimed Billups off waivers within a surreal 48-hour period from Dec. 12-14. Williams had done everything he could do to show the Clippers he was committed to the organization. He'd played through a painful injury the last 22 games of the 2010-11 season after coming over in a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers. He had amended his contract to help facilitate that trade. He even led offseason workouts during the lockout.
It hurt when the Clippers replaced him with not one, but two possible Hall of Fame point guards.
We get a little squeamish when players admit to feeling hurt or betrayed. Ooooh, controversy. Like it's inevitable that it's going to blow up somehow and wreck things.
But that's kind of naive. Of course Williams was upset. He's a competitor. A former All-Star. It would actually be more troubling if he wasn't upset. The question was whether he would channel that anger in a productive direction."Probably what is making him play so well is that he's playing with that chip," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "If that's the case then so be it."
This is how it has always been for Williams. He had wanted it to be different with the Clippers. Wanted to settle in here for the long haul. To be their leader and play with the kind of confidence you can only have when it's obvious the franchise is as committed to you as you are to it. After what he has been through in his life and career, Williams has earned that."I don't feel bad because we're winning more, which is what Mo is about," Olshey said.
Williams nods when I tell him what Olshey said about him.
"I don't like to lose. I'm miserable on a losing team. I'm not going to be productive on a losing team. That's just me. I don't have any motivation to play for a losing team at all.
"So it's a situation where I'm between a rock and a hard place. I love this organization and I was planning to be with this organization for the rest of my career, and that all changed in one day."
The situation wasn't perfect then. It isn't perfect now. Williams thought he had found a home, instead he found another chip to put on his shoulder.
Maybe it's better this way.
Ramona Shelburne, ESPN Los Angeles
Tough journey for Mo Williams
Tough journey for Mo Williams
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Tough journey for Mo Williams
Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
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Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
Yep - I heard many times from Eric Pincus that Mo was miserable when we got Billups and CP3. He's still making the best out of it, no doubt.
Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
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Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
Thing is, he may be best served in a Jason Terry like role- I think it's a great fit for his skill set. He can still get major minutes, although I can completely understand his disappointment when the Clippers picked up not only Chris Paul but Chauncey as well.
I really like Mo coming off the bench for us, it is a really wonderful luxury to have a scorer (and PG) like him on the second unit.
I really like Mo coming off the bench for us, it is a really wonderful luxury to have a scorer (and PG) like him on the second unit.
Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
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Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
To be quite honest, Mo thinks he's better than he is. He is not an all-star, he got that spot because of an injury, and because he was on the team with the best record in the league. He was traded here mainly for capspace purposes. I don't like to use this argument as a way to measure some players because I feel it lacks a bit of empathy but it applies here: You get payed millions of dollars to play basketball, cry me a river.
Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
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Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
Well generally he is a starting caliber PG. if the Clippers are able to acquire a defensive stopper SG, he could be a bench player that plays starters minutes. The question is whether he is preoccupied with starting, or whether it's just about minutes for him.
If the Clippers acquire any SG that will be playing starter like minutes though, one can't be mad at Mo for not wanting to play 25 MPG, and I wouldn't want to pay $8.5 million for that a anyways. So future wise, it really depends on what moves the Clippers make as to whether he can be comfortable here etc.
If the Clippers acquire any SG that will be playing starter like minutes though, one can't be mad at Mo for not wanting to play 25 MPG, and I wouldn't want to pay $8.5 million for that a anyways. So future wise, it really depends on what moves the Clippers make as to whether he can be comfortable here etc.
Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
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Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
Anyone familiar w/ this Board knows that I have ripped Mo since we traded for him until the season started. I forget who it was on this board that suggested that I give Mo some slack (It was Summer & Mo was still the starter) I took the advice and I am glad i did.
I felt bad for Mo when we got Chauncey 7 CP3, secretly I was hoping he would have a great season & I proclaimed here that Mo would be the 6th Man in the NBA this year. I still feel that way. As a almost 50 year old guy, I have been in situations where I felt under valued & worked my tail off to prove a point; I think Mo is in that position now. I think Mo has done an incredible job of eating "Humble Pie" and "Gaming Up" each night, he is a Role Model, not a Role Player on this Clipper team.
Mo, suck it up, this will work out & keep doing what you are doing!
I felt bad for Mo when we got Chauncey 7 CP3, secretly I was hoping he would have a great season & I proclaimed here that Mo would be the 6th Man in the NBA this year. I still feel that way. As a almost 50 year old guy, I have been in situations where I felt under valued & worked my tail off to prove a point; I think Mo is in that position now. I think Mo has done an incredible job of eating "Humble Pie" and "Gaming Up" each night, he is a Role Model, not a Role Player on this Clipper team.
Mo, suck it up, this will work out & keep doing what you are doing!
Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
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Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
This was the best article i read all year
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Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
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Re: Tough journey for Mo Williams
Last year in 22 gmaes Mo played 32.9 minutes per game and he had 12.18 shot attempts per game while shooting .422 from the field.
This year in 19 games Mo is averaging 27.6 minutes a game and taking 11.42 shot per game while shooting % of .488 from the field.
This year he is also stealing the ball 0.3 times more and turning it over 1.16 times less.
His minutes dropped only by 5.3 minutes and he became much more efficient player while taking almost same amount of shots.
He has no reason to be sour.
This year in 19 games Mo is averaging 27.6 minutes a game and taking 11.42 shot per game while shooting % of .488 from the field.
This year he is also stealing the ball 0.3 times more and turning it over 1.16 times less.
His minutes dropped only by 5.3 minutes and he became much more efficient player while taking almost same amount of shots.
He has no reason to be sour.
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