Dallas Mavericks Need a Fully Invested Deron Williams Most of All

After striking out on DeAndre Jordan, the Dallas Mavericks slightly salvaged their offseason by picking up Deron Williams. The Mavs' new starting point guard might be past his prime, but the team's success will still partially ride on his shoulders.

Monta Ellis is gone to the Indiana Pacers, so now Williams will be relied upon to rediscover himself. While Chandler Parsons is ready to step up into a playmaking role, Williams must still be the primary ball-handler on most possessions. 

The trend in Williams' career isn't encouraging. His numbers have steadily declined over the last three seasons amid ankle injuries. He hit an all-time low last year, averaging just 13 points per game on an abysmal 38.7 percent shooting from the field. His jumper looked fine, but he struggled finishing at the rim and lacked the mobility which made him a lethal offensive threat in the past.

Beyond the physical concerns, Williams just never looked comfortable in a Brooklyn Nets uniform. He didn't appear happy, and his reported disagreements with head coach Lionel Hollins didn't help last season, either. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated summarized the dire situation which eventually led to the demise of Williams' era in Brooklyn:

"

Williams was a puzzle no one was able to solve. Paul Pierce tried, his efforts evolving from private dinners spent boosting Williams' confidence to public pastings in practice, according to league sources. Lionel Hollins attempted to get through to Williams; an NBA source confirmed a New York Daily News report that one such session resulted in Williams needing to be physically restrained from going after Hollins.

To be fair, Hollins didn’t cover himself with glory, as his pep talk consisted of bluntly laying out all the reasons Williams had tumbled from the top of the point guard crop, according to sources familiar with the confrontation. The thin-skinned Williams couldn’t handle it.

"

Williams clearly didn't click with his head coach and didn't look comfortable playing with the spotlight shining brightly in his face. In fact, he has always had trouble getting along with head coaches. His most notable skirmish was with Jerry Sloan, who resigned abruptly in 2011 after butting heads with the star point guard, during his tenure with the Utah Jazz.

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Even with the reservations in mind, gambling on Williams is a low-risk move that could prove to be fruitful. He signed a modest two-year deal worth around $10 million, per Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. That's a reasonable price to examine what remains and what can be salvaged in a former All-Star.

Williams was the best possible option for Dallas after Jordan decided to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, as virtually every other free agent had already committed elsewhere. Even so, the Mavericks really nailed the pickup, and they have legitimate reason to believe that they can salvage Williams' career. Even Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle was genuinely excited to partner up with the point guard who the Mavs aggressively pursued in free agency of 2012.

"I'm a longtime fan," Carlisle said, per ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon. "When this situation popped up, it was almost like it was too good to be true. He's a tremendous player, and he's coming home."

There will be significantly less pressure for Williams to perform for a Dallas team that projects to struggle making the playoffs next season. There are essentially no expectations for him to perform at an All-Star level, and playing without that burden will be relieving.

Carlisle isn't entirely easy to get along with, as proven by the fallout with Rajon Rondo last season. But Carlisle is well-respected around the league and adapts well to whomever he has on his roster. His calculated approach to basketball and willingness to integrate new players should mesh well with Williams.

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The circumstances on the court will also be significantly improved for Williams. He admittedly looked like he lost a step driving to the hoop last season, but constantly meeting help defenders certainly didn't help his case.

The system in Dallas should provide Williams with an abundance of space to operate, something which wasn't the case in a cramped Brooklyn offense. Bobby Karalla of Mavs.com emphasized just that:

"

One element working in Williams’ advantage is the quality of teammates and system he’ll step right into in Dallas. Carlisle’s pick-and-roll offense is renowned for its pristine floor-spacing, fueled primarily by Dirk Nowitzki’s unprecedented impact on defenses. Brooklyn was 26th in the NBA in three-point shooting last season while Dallas was 11th, and with additions like Wes Matthews and Justin Anderson, the Mavs figure to improve even further in that area.

"

Dallas will be able to put four players with decent shooting range around Williams, providing him with driving opportunities and clean passing lanes. For all his physical struggles, he remains a very intelligent player who sees the floor well and can competently run an NBA offense.

There are still question marks regarding the health of Wesley Matthews (Achilles) and Chandler Parsons (knee), as both are coming off surgeries. But if Dallas can stay healthy, the starting unit is almost a lock to be one of the scariest offenses in the NBA. Williams' ability to both handle the ball and stretch the floor when needed will be a key ingredient in that concoction.

Defensively, the Mavericks will collectively struggle, and Williams doesn't exactly help. Even though he is strong, he desperately needs to regain some of his mobility to not be a complete liability. Matthews will relieve some of the pressure, but teams will most certainly target both Williams and Nowitzki in pick-and-rolls. Carlisle can scheme around it with a healthy dose of zone, but Dallas will struggle to get stops regardless.

In short, the situation could not be more perfect for Williams. He will still be heavily featured in the offense without the additional pressure to fill the shoes of a superstar.

That being said, Williams will still have to show up and perform if he truly wants to rehabilitate his image of a washed-up star. At the age of 31, he should still be able to do so, but he won't be able to point the finger at anyone else but himself if things don't work out.

You can follow me on Twitter: @VytisLasaitis