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Position: guard Height: 6-1 Weight: 201 College: North Carolina Born: April 5, 1975, Bronx, NY Opening day (2002) age: 27 Drafted: 2001, second round, pick 34, Chicago NBA exerience: Four years Hand: Right Acquired: Traded by Seattle on July 22, 2002 with forward Vin Baker for guards Kenny Anderson and Joseph Forte and center Vitaly Potapenko Nickname: Schoolboy Contract status: signed through 2002-03 season |
2001-02 in Review: With Emanual Davis departed to Atlanta, it seemed that it would be finally be the year where Shammond Williams would serve as the Sonics' regular backup point guard. Through half of the exhibition season, Williams had done little to change this opinion when he broke a finger on his left hand, sidelining him for the first two weeks of the regular season. By the time Williams returned, his job had been stolen by second-round draft pick Earl Watson. Williams played sparingly with a couple of brief stretches replacing Watson in the rotation before the rookie was injured in early March. This allowed Williams increased playing time, as he first replaced a sick Brent Barry in the starting lineup for his only start of the season and then had his best game against Charlotte, recording season-bests of 16 points and eight rebounds with several critical scores in overtime as the Sonics held on to a win. Soon thereafter, Williams' myriad defensive lapses were costly against Dallas and Houston, and he was replaced in the rotation by CBA callup Randy Livingston. Williams was also key in a victory against San Antonio, scoring six straight points in one stretch, but saw just spotty action the remainder of the season and in the playoffs, finishing with averages of 4.4 points and 1.7 assists in 12.1 minutes.
Previous NBA Career: Very successful splitting time at both guard positions during his college career at North Carolina, Williams was the 34th pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 1998 Draft and immediately traded to Atlanta. With the Hawks in 1999, Williams found playing time difficult to come by and asked for his release, finishing out the season overseas. He returned to the NBA with the Sonics to fight with Davis for the role of backup to Gary Payton. Williams lost the battle in training camp and sat the first half of the season, but Davis' injury problems allowed him to reclaim the role. In limited minutes, Williams displayed remarkable scoring punch, which allowed him to claim a larger role near the end of the season. Following a career-high 28 points at the Lakers on April 10, Williams took Barry's starting job for the remainder of the regular season and the Sonics' first two playoff games. On the strength of that strong end to the season and the Sonics' trade of Davis, Williams looked like a lock to open 2000-01 as the Sonics' backup point. However, Davis was reacquired just before the open of the season on waivers. When Nate McMillan replaced Paul Westphal as Sonics head coach, Davis became the team's starting shooting guard and Williams saw spotty minutes at best the remainder of the season. There were still highlights, as Williams shined when injuries decimated the Seattle backcourt during a February east-coast swing and finished third in the NBA in three-point shooting.
Shooting/Scoring: Williams is an excellent scorer and one of the league's better outside shooters. A career 39% marksman from three-point range, Williams is not afraid whatsoever to put it up from beyond the arc -- or inside it, for that matter, as he has acquired a reputation as a gunner. His accuracy does not seem to improve much as he nears the basket, as he is just a 43% career shooter from inside the arc. Williams is much better off taking a three than a 20-footer just inside the line. In the lane, he possesses nice touch on floaters or short jumpers, but can have a tough time at 6-1 scoring amongst the trees. He does have very good leaping ability which allows him to finish when at the cup. Williams' 79.5% mark from the free-throw line last season was right at his career average.
Grade: B+
Floor Game: Dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble. Williams is one of the league's finest dribblers, but the problem is he knows it and utilizes this skill all too frequently to the distinct annoyance of the fans and coaching staff. He has a unique knack for dribbling away half of the shot
clock without initiating the offense, leading to frequent shot-clock violations under his watch. Williams' 2.37 assist/turnover ratio last season was a career high, but still well shy of average for a point guard. Even it came at the expense of a great degree of aggressiveness; Williams cut his turnover by 12.5% from the previous season, but his 6.6 assists per 48 minutes were a career-low and simply inadequate, even for a backup. When Williams gets to the basket, he is thinking only of his own offense, not to set up others. Though he's improved somewhat in this regard, Williams is still a shooting guard forced to play point by his 6-1 height.
Grade: D+
Rebounding: Williams is an adequate rebounder, which is actually quite impressive given his stature. His leaping ability helps him here. Williams is even as an offensive rebounder and a defensive rebounder.
Grade: C-
Defense: On a poor defensive team, Williams was probably the Sonics' worst defender. Despite excellent speed, for whatever reason (lack of defensive intensity?) he does little to stop opposing guards on the perimeter. As an undersized point, he can be overpowered in the post. His worst defensive trait, however, is a tendency to wander instead of sticking a player without the ball. This leads to frequent open perimeter jumpers which killed the Sonics when Williams played regularly.
Grade: F
Intangibles: Williams is one of the Sonics' hardest-working players. And to his credit, he did not publicly complain or change his attitude because of his demotion, which he had done nothing to deserve to that point. However, his offensive approach continued to be fairly selfish.
Grade: B
Overall: A year ago, Williams looked like a player who could become a very valuable backup at both guard positions. However, he regressed over the past year and it now would be a major surprise if he is even a Sonic next season, let alone a contributor for the team. This isn't the right situation whatsoever for Williams, but with a number of better backup points on the market as free agents this summer, will he find one that's better in a potential trade? It seems unlikely. Williams' scoring ability will keep him in the NBA, but unless he can improve on his defensive effort from last season and be a little slower on the trigger on offense, he's not going to be a regular. Expect him to be traded and serve as a fourth or fifth guard somewhere next season.
Grade: D+
I had faith in Williams until this season, but he was quickly exposed to me for what he is: a selfish shooting guard forced to play point because of his size who plays no defense whatsoever. I was quickly off the bandwagon. So too were other Sonics fans. While last year the consensus at games was that Williams should be playing more and Davis less, some of this year's loudest moaning from the crowd was when Williams was brought in to 'spark' the team. One guess how well it worked.
July 22 Update: Williams received his wish for a trade when he was sent with forward Vin Baker to Boston in a five-player deal. Though the Sonics viewed Williams as a throw-in, the Celtics have long coveted Williams. With Boston's incumbent point guard, Kenny Anderson, part of the deal, the Celtics have an opening in their starting lineup. Williams will vie with Tony Delk, rookie J.R. Bremer, and possibly a free agent addition for minutes. There is little question he will play more than he did in Seattle.