According to a Yahoo Sports source, current Utah Jazz point guard Mo Williams will only resign with the team if he remains the starter next season.
“He’s not going to come back as a starter,” the anonymous source said of Williams’ thinking.
On Thursday night, the Jazz traded up to acquire Michigan point guard Trey Burke, who was originally selected with the ninth pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was then immediately traded to Utah. Burke was considered one of the top point guards in this year’s draft class, with Lehigh superstar C.J. McCollum finishing out the top two at the position.
Burke, who averaged 18.6 points and 6.7 assists per game in his sophomore season, led the Michigan Wolverines to the NCAA Championship Game before falling to top overall seed Louisville.
Williams, however, could not stave off the injury bug as he only played in 46 games this season. The veteran point guard was productive when he was on the hardwood, averaging 12.9 points and 6.2 assists per game, although his injuries may be a concern for Utah, judging from their acquisition of Burke.
As stated earlier, Williams has essentially made an ultimatum with the Jazz regarding Burke. If the organization does not make Williams the starter, it looks as he will leave Utah.
Burke may wind up being a good NBA point guard within a couple of seasons, although spending his rookie year on the bench and getting valuable seasoning may be the optimal situation for his develop. The Jazz appear to be very high on Burke, considering the drafted up to get him, and it looks as if he may become Utah’s starter, judging from the investment they put into the Michigan alum.
If this opinion proves to be true, Williams may be headed out of the door in Utah. Free agency begins on July 1, and as of this writing it is unknown if the franchise has contacted the 30-year-old about his reported demand. What the Jazz decide to ultimately do about Williams will be one of the more intriguing developments to track in the beginning of free agency but one thing is for sure.
The 2013 NBA Free Agency period is starting to take shape.
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