Derrick Williams Opts out of Knicks Contract: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

Power forward Derrick Williams opted out of his contract with the New York Knicks on Tuesday and will test free agency. 

Ian Begley of ESPN first reported the move, with Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical confirming Williams' decision. Begley noted that Williams' opt-out, along with Aaron Afflalo's reported decision to test free agency, will give the Knicks "more than $30 million" in cap space.

Williams, 25, averaged 9.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game this season. He appeared in 80 contests for the Knicks but started in just nine, as rookie Kristaps Porzingis seized the starting role and didn't relinquish it during the 2015-16 campaign.

The presence of Porzingis—along with the fact that Williams was due just $4.5 million with the Knicks this season, according to Spotrac—made his decision to test free agency and potentially earn a larger deal on the market a fairly predictable one.

Still, it's unlikely Williams will earn an enormous deal. Despite being the second overall pick in the 2011 draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, he's averaged just 9.3 points and 4.2 rebounds for his career and has been utilized as a bench player by the Sacramento Kings and the Knicks over the past three seasons.

After six seasons, calling Williams a complete bust would be harsh. But he's never lived up to his draft slot and appears to only be an adequate role player and option off the bench at this point. 

To be fair to Williams, however, he's dealt with a lot of organizational instability in his career.

“Seventh coach in five years,” Williams said in March regarding the team's head coach at the time, Kurt Rambis, per Marc Berman of the New York Post. “Three coaches last year in Sacramento. So that’s five in two years. It’s tough, man. At the same time, it’s a business. You got to know that heading into the season."

If Williams does ultimately re-sign with the Knicks, he'll make it eight coaches in six years, as the team hired Jeff Hornacek in May.

Williams is an athletic option off the bench who still has room to grow and improve, so the Knicks will surely try to re-sign him, albeit at a steeper price than they would have paid if he exercised his player option. He should be a popular target for teams in free agency looking to bolster their rotations and add some athleticism to their frontcourts.

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