It's just business with D-Will

Deron Williams, the prickly point guard who convinced Jerry Sloan that retirement was a good option, is apparently at it again.

According to a tweet by Michelle Steele of Bloomberg, Williams has fired agent Bob McClaren in preparation for his looming free agency in 2012. Williams is no longer listed as a McClaren client.

If so, I’m fine with that. Williams is entitled to the representation he wants. At the same time, the move gave continued insight into Williams, who has never been easy to get along with. He and Jerry Sloan had repeated conflict in the locker room, which is part of the reason why Sloan retired and the Jazz traded their All-Star guard.

Williams is a prime example of many of today’s players. Great talent, but he’s not going to let sentiment supersede business (see “LeBron” in dictionary). Back in the day, John Stockton struck some agreements with the Larry H. Miller without even using a formal agent. Karl Malone used a local attorney as his “representative,” though he eventually did sign with an agent.

The thought of Williams settling with the the Jazz or Nets based on loyalty or trust is, well, unthinkable.

Williams is looking to maximize his market value and win a championship, and apparently didn’t believe his former agent was getting the job done. What this tells me is Williams really isn’t set on staying a Net. You don’t change agents unless you’re serious about checking your options. It also tells me that the Jazz saw an unproductive negotiation period coming with Williams, so they traded him before he left anyway.

Nothing personal, just business.