SAN ANTONIO – It was Ziaire Williams’ janky jumper that got him dumped on his salary by Memphis. But now it’s his improved three-point stroke that’s earning him crucial minutes with the Nets.
A below-league average player throughout his career, Williams enters Sunday’s game against the Spurs shooting 54.5 percent from behind the arc after going 6-for-9 from deep in Friday’s home opener against the Cavaliers.
That ranks in the top 10 among players with an average of 5.5 attempts, per Basketball Reference.
And it’s a far cry from where he started as a shooter.
“Yeah, definitely. I mean, I worked really hard every day this summer,” the 24-year-old Williams said of his offseason improvement. “You know, thousands and thousands of shots, three times a day, all different footwork.
“There’s not a shot I shoot in the game that I haven’t worked on. And I really believe in that. The amount of work you put in always comes back and I try to trust God and trust my work. And I’m glad I made some shots [Friday].”
Williams was acquired by the Nets in a salary dump, a former lottery pick and solid defender whose lack of a jumper ultimately led to the Grizzlies moving on.
The Nets were reshaping their roster in the wake of dealing Mikal Bridges to the Knicks. Overshadowed by the five first-round picks the Nets got from their rival was Mamadi Diakite on an expiring partially guaranteed deal.
The Nets sent him to Memphis for a second-round pick at Dallas in 2030 and Williams.
The fact that Williams’ 34.1 percent from last season was a career high should underscore just how far he had to come.
But his defense, energy and youth prompted the rebuilding Nets to give him a two-year, $12.5 million contract last season, with the second season a team option.
They seem to be recouping their (modest) investment through the preseason and two matches.
Williams had 25 points off the bench against the Cavaliers on Friday, his second-highest scoring game, while tying career bests for buckets (nine) and 3-pointers (six).
And he scored 11 points in the fourth quarter alone, as the Nets cut the 25-point deficit to just one before falling just short.
He recorded a plus-17 in 9:37 during that final period, while starter Terance Mann got 3:58.
Cam Thomas is available against the Spurs despite a nose fracture.
Drake Powell (right (ankle sprain)) and Danny Wolf (left ankle sprain) are out, as is Haywood Highsmith (knee).
“Ziaire was extremely active and shot well, so sometimes you had to read the game and I felt like he had to be there,” said head coach Jordi Fernández.
The Nets’ attempt to develop a record five first-round picks drew comparisons to Kenny Atkinson’s own tenure in Brooklyn.
“I think about Joe Harris. He was a disaster his freshman year, like, can this guy play in the league? There were a bunch of guys in that bucket,” Atkinson said. “However, we had the luxury of being able to throw them out there. There is no better path to development than that.
“It seems to be the same here, where they think, OK, the best way to do this is to get these guys in an NBA game and take their lumps and they’ll learn. And then in Year 2 they get a little bit better and then in Year 3 you hope you’re in the playoff hunt. I would think that’s the road map.”
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