Deron Williams Traded To Utah Jazz? Only With His Consent Before NBA Deadline

Deron Williams trade rumors have picked up again, with the former All-Star getting linked to the Utah Jazz now. Could Williams get traded to the Jazz before the NBA trade deadline? A deal can only take place if he decides it is time to waive his no-trade clause.

A new report by ESPN states that the front office of the Utah Jazz has contacted the Dallas Mavericks about working on a deal. This could be a very interesting NBA trade, as it would reunite Deron Williams with the city where he began his basketball career. Williams was the No. 3 overall selection by Utah in the 2005 NBA Draft, where he immediately found a lot of success with the team.

Williams signed a one-year deal with the Mavericks back in July, receiving a no-trade clause as part of the contract from the team. He now has the ability to veto any trade that the front office in Dallas comes up with, especially if he doesn’t want to play for a specific “new” city. Previously, it had seemed as though Dallas was intent on keeping him well past the NBA trade deadline, but that idea may have shifted a bit in recent weeks.

In 40 games for the Dallas Mavericks this season, Deron Williams has averaged 29.3 minutes, 13.1 points, 6.9 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game. They aren’t the All-Star numbers that he had with the Utah Jazz, but he continues to post respectable stats for a veteran point guard. It is this reason that numerous teams have contacted Dallas about acquiring him. In addition to Utah, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been on the phone several times, trying to give the second unit a defined playmaker.

Many Utah Jazz fans likely remember the impressive stats he had for the team during his first six NBA seasons. In 439 total games with the Jazz, Williams averaged 17.3 points, 9.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. He also had four consecutive seasons where he averaged at least 18 points and 10 assists per game, but he only made the All-Star team two times in the Western Conference. Ranking among the best guards in the league, he also found a place on Team USA.

During the 2010-11 NBA season, the Utah Jazz traded Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, a 2011 first-round pick (Enes Kanter), a 2013 first-round pick (Gorgui Dieng), and cash. It was considered a huge blockbuster deal right before the deadline, with the Nets acquiring a point guard that could help lead a veteran core of players. Things did not go according to plan with the Nets, leading to the team waiving him in summer 2015.

There are a lot of NBA rumors about guards changing hands before the February 23 deadline, but Deron Williams traded to the Utah Jazz could certainly steal headlines. It might not take a lot to get him from the Dallas Mavericks, as Utah could likely get away with just offering a future first-round draft pick. Mavs owner Mark Cuban could accept that offer and then seek to re-sign Williams when free agency opens up again this summer.

For Williams to accept this trade to Utah, he would have to give up his no-trade clause, but also his free-agent Bird rights. That might not be a big deal for a veteran who no longer commands a maximum contract in free agency. This could be considered the twilight of his NBA career, meaning he may start signing a series of one-year deals in order to chase a championship. As it stands, though, Deron Williams has stated he is quite happy with the Dallas Mavericks, so he would have to really covet a return to Utah to waive his veto rights.

[Featured Image by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images]