A day after the Brooklyn Nets were eliminated from the playoffs, head coach Lionel Hollins admitted point guard Deron Williams is no longer a franchise player.
"He's not a franchise player anymore," Hollins said on Saturday morning during break-up day. "He's a good player, he's a solid player, but I don't think he's a franchise player anymore. That's just my opinion. I'm proud of the way he's bounced back and played, and there's so much pressure on him to be a franchise player, and everybody talks about a franchise player, but we need to have a franchise team."
Hollins has repeatedly defended Williams against criticism he's faced.
Williams, 30, is owed $21 million next season and $22.3 million in 2016-17, assuming he does not opt out of the final year of his contract.