It’s uncertain what Ziaire Williams can become, and it’s unclear whether the Nets will pick up his option next season.
What’s crystal clear is the young forward is playing the best basketball of his career and making his case to stick around as part of the franchise’s rebuild.
“He’s taken advantage of all those opportunities. He’s embraced what we’re doing and the process, which is the best thing. He understands. He’s about the right things,” Nets coach Jordi Fernández said. “I’m happy with him, and I’ve seen what I had to see. I also need him to go through this [remaining] stretch of eight games.
“So, he’s embraced every situation. I’m very happy with what I’ve seen from him, and then we’ll make decisions when we have to. Obviously, it’s very collaborative around here. I’m not the one making decisions on the roster, but I’m always asked, and right now, we’re in a good place. The process is the best thing; it’s just going through it.”
Williams did not play (coach’s decision) in Sunday’s 116-99 win over the Kings at Barclays Center.
The Nets are going through the painful process of tanking for a high lottery pick this season and also developing the young players they already have.
They have to see who is worth keeping and separate the wheat from the chaff.
Williams, at 24, has looked more like the wheat this month.
He came into Sunday’s tankfest against Sacramento having started his last five games, averaging 17.2 points and 2.8 steals on .528/.500/.821 shooting splits.
In his last 12 since March 3, he’d averaged 14.3 points and 2.1 steals on .495/.488/.857 splits, the best month of his NBA career.
With the Nets having started playing the back end of the bench, Williams hadn’t played in any of the prior five fourth quarters and just one of the last 10.
Has he already done enough to convince general manager Sean Marks to pick up the $6.25 million team option for next season?
“He’s playing well,” Fernández said. “And I’m extremely proud of him — how he’s embracing every single situation and opportunity, how big of a pro he’s been and how supportive he’s been with his teammates, challenging them, cheering for them, just leading by example.
“That’s been great to see, not just because he’s scoring more or less. Obviously, I’ve been running more plays for him because it’s also good to see what he can do in those situations, right? It’s an opportunity for everybody, but he’s embraced and taken advantage of every opportunity.”
Williams’ offense has been more efficient — a career-high .588 true shooting — by taking higher-value 3s. He’s kept his dribbles to a minimum, succeeding as a cutter and off catch-and-shoot looks.
He’s always been known as a defender but is playing less stretch four and more small forward and even shooting guard. Williams disrupts passing lanes and entered Sunday eighth in the NBA in steals both per 36 minutes and per 100 possessions.
“The way he shines is when he’s very aggressive defensively, then he keeps it simple offensively and [takes] that to a higher level,” Fernández said. “Even the other day, I know I’m running more plays for him but that doesn’t mean he’s dribbling 15 times and just playing iso. I’m just running a second-side plays for him.
“He’s quick, he’s simple, he plays pick-and-roll, and he either makes a play to score or to kick the ball. So putting the ball in his hands, it’s good. I haven’t done it as much, but I still want to see him being decisive, shooting catch-and-shoot 3s, getting to the rim. But then his superpower of what he did against the Lakers — guard the best player on the court, be disruptive, get deflections, all of those things that gave the team energy. And that’s when ‘Z’ is at his best.”
