Nets get Deron's input, need better output - New York Daily News

ANDREW GOMBERT/EPA

epa03040778 New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams (L) brings the ball up court as New York Knicks guard Toney Douglas (R) defends during first half action of their preseason basketball game at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, USA, 21 December 2011. EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT CORBIS OUT

Deron Williams not only holds the future of the franchise in his signature hand, he also holds the attention of the coach and general manager when it comes to their decisions.

The point guard, who has struggled through the Nets’ first 10 games heading into Wednesday’s game at Denver â€" shooting just 35% while leading the league with 4.6 turnovers per game â€" has input on player acquisitions and practice routines, and has joked about it by calling himself “the assistant to the assistant GM,” or the “GM in training.”

Coach Avery Johnson said it’s “the best communication I’ve had with a player," and last week said that Williams’ suggestion altered the team’s morning shootaround routine. Williams has said that two of the Nets’ recent signings â€" Shawne Williams and DeShawn Stevenson â€" came at his recommendation. He is also a driving force in the recruitment of Dwight Howard.

Not that any of this is new, Johnson said. It has just gone public with the Nets, whereas similar relationships were under the radar.

“I did it when I was a point guard,” Johnson said on Tuesday. “I did it with (San Antonio coach Gregg) Popovich. Dirk Nowitzki did it with me in Dallas, and he did it with (Mark) Cuban.

“So this is not unchartered territory. I’m sure when (Clippers coach) Vinny Del Negro has something he wants to do, or something he feels the need to do, he’ll ask Chris Paul. Pat Riley had a great relationship with Patrick Ewing and, whether it was publicized or not, they had conversations about situations. It’s not anything that’s uncommon.”

It’s a two-way street for Williams.

Frustrated by his team’s ugly start (2-8 heading into Wednesday), he sought advice from Johnson on how to cope with something unfamiliar: losing. His instinctual reaction was to vent through body language on the court, wear it on his sleeve, and then criticize himself and the team to the media afterward.

“Our offense sucks,” he said after the Nets lost to the Heat on Saturday.

But Williams changed it up for Monday against the Hawks, a loss that was a much better showing from the Nets. He said it was a conscious effort.

“He brought it up,” Johnson said. “He said that’s an area he wants to improve in. I said, ‘Let’s improve in that area.’ I thought he was terrific last night in leading the team, especially when things didn’t go well.

“Every leader, whether it’s a Fortune 500 company, a CEO, the best pitcher on a baseball team, the quarterback on a football team, the point guard on the basketball team â€" anybody that’s in a leadership role, a lot of times it’s not in what you think, but in what people see.

And Deron’s emotions and the way he feels on the court has a big effect on our team.”

Howard, meanwhile, complained about his lack of a voice in the Magic organization, saying it’s the main reason he has requested a trade.