There is one song that will probably be playing inside the head of the New York Knicks forward Derrick Williams this summer. That song is “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” by The Clash. Derrick Williams off-season decision will be whether to test free agency or opt-in for the final year of a deal that he signed before this season started. Williams came to New York on a two-year deal worth ten million dollars. It included a player option for the second year which would pay him $5.1 million for the 2016-17 season. So, Williams has to ask himself if he should stay or if he should go.
By staying in the “Big Apple” Williams guarantees himself the $5.1 million for next season. Since being drafted with the second overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, his career has been seen as a bust by many basketball minds. In his five seasons in the league he is averaging 9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game. Those subpar numbers so far in his career, along with being drafted ahead of players like Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, and Jimmy Butler, make it hard to dispute that claim of being a bust. This season in New York though has helped him start to shake that label. His 16.9 minutes per game is the lowest in his career. In that limited time though he is having his best all-around productive season when you look at his per 36 minutes numbers. He is averaging career highs with 18.8 points and 1.9 assists. He is having his second best shooting season of his young career knocking down 43.9 percent of his shots from the floor and 75 percent from the foul line. If Williams does opt-in next year and the Knicks lose Lance Thomas and Arron Afflalo in free agency, then he is looking at a minutes increase for sure.
The numbers listed above may end up being one of the reasons that Williams opts-out after this season. That production along with the highlight dunks that are shown on Sports Center and all over social media may cause him to think he is worth more than the $5.1 million. To be honest, the athleticism and the spark he provides off the bench alone makes him worth more then that. His 246 free throw attempts are second on the team behind Carmelo Anthony. Another factor which may cause Williams to opt-out is the raise in the salary cap to around $90 million. This increase will provide a lot of teams with money to spend. The upcoming free agent class is considered by many to be a “weak” group when it comes to depth. Williams and his agent might see the combination of these two factors as a way to sign a deal that is valued well above his worth.
The Knicks have two players with player options for next season in Williams and Afflalo. Unlike Afflalo, hopefully Williams feels that he has found a home and decides to play out his contract and stay one more season before testing the free agent market. That athleticism and spark is exactly what New York needs coming off the bench. The problem with that is that eventhough it would be in the teams best interest, it may not be in the player’s. Derrick Williams off-season decision is definitely going to take some thought.
