Williams praises Nets, but won't commit

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.

The Nets' newly-recruited All-Star Deron Williams, who debuts Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs, made all the right noises about the New Jersey franchise's future during his unveiling to the media, but stopped short of promising he will be there to see it.

Williams, the star the Nets hope to build their future around, spoke glowingly about the grandiose plans during his official introduction Thursday, praising their planned move to Brooklyn and promising to recruit other players.

He did everything but promise to commit long-term, which would have been the best assist the 26-year-old point guard could have given the franchise.

If there is a new collective bargaining agreement in place, Williams can sign a contract extension on July 18, the three-year anniversary of him signing his deal with Utah. But he made it clear he will not consider signing one then, which means he could become a free agent after next season -- making this deal an all-in gamble for the Nets.

"I won't know what I'm going to do until then, so I can't give an answer," said Williams, the Nets' biggest acquisition since Jason Kidd, whom Williams grew up idolizing in The Colony, Texas. And the Nets hope he follows in Kidd's footsteps -- first lifting them from lottery to contention, then re-signing with the club.

"I can't really give any assurances. I don't know what the future holds, but there's definitely a strong possibility [I'll re-sign]," he added. "It all depends on how the next year goes: the collective bargaining agreement and the type of moves we make and people we bring into this organization."

The Nets are banking that Williams -- a star who makes teammates better -- will draw free agents to him.

"I just show them the film. A lot of people want to be part of somebody that averages [20 points] and 10 assists. He makes players better ... That becomes the easiest selling point," said general manager Billy King, who put this deal together in just one day with friend and Utah general manager Kevin O'Connor.

O'Connor called King on Tuesday with condolences on missing out on Carmelo Anthony, and offered a deal that did not include Williams. King called back and upped the ante with the winning offer: Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, two first-round picks and $3 million, far less than the Knicks surrendered for Anthony.

Williams said he was getting treatment when he found out he had been traded away by watching ESPN, and initial reports were he was nonplussed.

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"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous going to a team that was 17-40," he said.

Williams' fears, however, were somewhat allayed when King described his vision for the team and names of the Nets' free-agent targets.

"It really got me excited about the possibilities of competing for a championship in the next couple of years," Williams said. "They're very ambitious in going after a lot of guys. I'm going to help with that."

There are persistent reports Williams' spat with Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was the reason the longtime coach quit in Utah, but he denied them vehemently.

"I love Coach Sloan," Williams said. "We've bumped heads on occasion. It was the wrong time to do it, but I don't think in any way, shape or form I led him out of Utah, or urged him out. I never talked to management or told anyone it was him or me. [Reports said] Jerry resigned because of me, I wanted him out of there. But those are all rumors, they were all untrue."

Either way, Nets coach Avery Johnson said he was not worried about that or Williams' contract. He was too overjoyed knowing he will have arguably the NBA's top point guard on the floor Friday night in San Antonio against the league's top team.

"This is a celebration," Johnson said. "Whatever his relationship with Coach Sloan will [not] have any effect on our relationship. Whatever happened in the past, we all have a trail. We can all care less. Friday I know he'll be in uniform for the New Jersey Nets, and he can play as many minutes as he wants to."