LA Times: Mo Williams not too happy in Flop City

[Jordan-esque]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basket...=Google+Reader

Clippers' Mo Williams must adjust to tough situation

Mo Williams has found himself in somewhat of a precarious situation with the Clippers. He had been expecting to be the starting point guard this season. But that all changed, seemingly in a heartbeat.

First, the Clippers won the auction for point guard Chauncey Billups after the New York Knicks used the league's new amnesty waiver on the five-time All-Star.

Two days later, the Clippers acquired four-time All-Star guard Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets in a blockbuster trade.

Just like that, Williams was a reserve.



"He's never going to be 100% happy with that role because he feels like he's a starter, and he is," Billups said. "He's just in a tough situation right now. He's going to stay focused, stay locked in.

"Mo is a starting point guard, no question about it. It's just a tough spot for him to be in right now."

Williams was acquired last season from the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of the deal for Baron Davis.

Williams had organized the workouts during the lockout. He was viewed as one of the team's leaders.

"At the end of the day, the team is first," Williams said. "That's all that really matters. I hope I answered your question."

Over his eight-year career, Williams has started 431 of 537 games.

He basically has been a starter in the NBA since his rookie season in 2003-04, when he played for the Utah Jazz.

"He'll be fine. I'm not worried about him at all," Billups said. "But it takes an adjustment period. A month ago, this was his team. It's going to be an adjustment period, but I don't worry about it. He's a mature veteran. He's been around the league. He'll be fine."

Williams, 28, is averaging 27.6 minutes per game, the sixth most on the team.

He is averaging 10.6 points, fifth best, and 4.6 assists, second best.

"Like everyone, Mo wants to play more," Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said. "And his situation has changed since last season. Like I've said, Mo is a pro and I think Mo understands he's a big part of what we're trying to do here. And he's been a leader, been a pro. He's worked. He's gotten in games and given us great effort."

Williams is playing both guard positions — point guard and shooting guard.

At 6-1, 195 pounds, Williams gives away size and strength advantages when he has to defend shooting guards.

Williams has been forced to change his mind-set, much of it depending on the player he must defend when he first enters a game.

"It changes on the defensive end because I'm just used to guarding point guards and getting through screens," Williams said. "Now I've got to worry about post-ups, and getting through floppy-sets. On defense it changes drastically."

RE: his last sentence, does that mean more flopping on defense?

[Mr. Jabbar]

flop city cracks me up

[Nick Young]

know your place, scrub

[AirTupac]

Lakers welcome you.

[chips93]

biggest pusssy in the league

[Lakers_Kobe_Fan]

lol billups is talking so much BS..freaking if u are the leader of that team behave like 1 and stop jacking up shots

[cteach111]

I thought Mo had embraced his role as a 6th man. He's good at it too. Ah well.

[Jordan-esque]

lol billups is talking so much BS..freaking if u are the leader of that team behave like 1 and stop jacking up shots

Speaking of Billups:

VIDEO: Clippers PA announcer mistakenly calls out Mo Williams as Chauncey Billups

Ouch!

[alwaysunny]

I heard he's thinking about retiring

[masonx20]

Add him to the Lakers. He's a reliable perimeter shooter but probably Kobe dislike him.

[CelticsDraftee]

[Darius]

Mo is actually a good player and great as 6th man off the bench.

Hopefully his ego can get right...

And it's not like he is on the bench behind Luke Ridnour or something, it's Chris fu**ing Paul in front of you man.

[Nick Young]

Add him to the Lakers. He's a reliable perimeter shooter but probably Kobe dislike him.

Da Gawd Mamba has no respect for mentally weak crying baby men

[Chapallaz]

Da Gawd Mamba has no respect for mentally weak crying baby men

He must love it in LA right now then.

[LJJ]

We've talked in the Augustin thread a couple days ago how there are not that many teams in the league looking for a point guard. But one of the few teams in the league that would benefit tremendously from a point guard is Sacramento. And you know who fits better in Sacramento than DJ Augustin?

Yup.

Mo Williams. Mo Williams would work out great in Sacramento. He could run the point adequately while also playing off the ball well when "mini-LeBron" Tyreke Evans is handling the ball. And this makes even more sense because LAC is in desperate need of a shooting guard, of which Sacramento has an unwieldy supply.

LAC - Have about two point guards too many but no shooting guards.
SAC - Have about two shooting guards too many but no point guards.

High risk high reward move for both teams:
Mo Williams+Eric Bledsoe+Ryan Gomes <> Marcus Thornton + Garcia + Isaiah Thomas

or

Low key move:
Mo Williams <> John Salmons