The Minnesota Timberwolves and Mo Williams has always been a marriage that was going to end sooner rather than later; it appears we may be nearing the end of seeing the Wolves’ single-game scoring record holder (yes, it’s still weird to write) run with the young pups in Minnesota.
Andy Greder of the St. Paul Pioneer Press talked with Mo Williams about his future in Minnesota in a piece published today:
“Obviously, right when the game is over with, I’m thinking about (my future),” Williams said Monday. “Before the game, I think about it. But I can block it out during the game and move forward.”
“Williams said he has never requested a trade and won’t start now. That’s up to Wolves coach/president of basketball operations Flip Saunders and general manager Milt Newton.”
Williams knows he’s 32 years old, the team he signed a contract with this past summer is headed for the lottery, and the uncertainty that comes with being a veteran NBA player on an expiring contract. He’s not complaining, he’s not going to ask out and he’s constantly thinking about what lies ahead. Those seem like the kind of traits a team trying to win now, like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls, would like to have on their bench come playoff time.
“I want to be a coach when I’m done (playing),” Williams said. “I coach in the summer time with my teams (in Dallas), and I know what a coach goes through, dealing with AAU parents. At the end of the day, I just kind of let (the front office) do their job, and I do mine. I hope that I’m in their best plans.”
The market for Mo Williams wasn’t exactly filled with potential suitors, hence why he was only able to get a one-year, $3.7 million deal this past summer with Minnesota, even after excelling in a sixth-man role for a rising Portland Trail Blazers squad last season. For Williams to keep playing in the NBA, he’ll have to settle with the uncertainty.
Williams has been able to hang around at age 32 because of his shooting ability, but “Father Time” has reared his ugly head even for the former Cavalier. Williams’ field goal and three-point percentage has dipped for three seasons in a row. At 32 years old, it’s fair to assume that trend isn’t going to reverse course as much as Mo and other aging guards long before him would have liked.
Still, 34.9 percent from 3-point land isn’t dreadful and Williams has shown he can still have some incredible moments every now and then for a club that could use a nice jolt from their bench come playoff time.
With how much Williams appears to be thinking about his future, his interest in coaching along with his expiring contract, it’s fair to wonder if this season is the last we see of him on the floor. Like with most things, though, only time will tell.
