"They were vets who didn’t want to play and didn’t want to practice. I was looking around saying, ’What’s this?’ Kevin [Garnett] and I had to pick them up every day in practice. If me and Kevin weren’t there, that team would have folded up. That team would have packed it in. Before I got there, I looked at Deron as an MVP candidate. But I felt once we got there, that’s not what he wanted to be. He just didn’t want that. I think a lot of the pressure got to him sometimes. The media in Utah is not the same as the media in New York." - Paul Pierce
"It’s just- as individuals, as players, (we have to) have each other’s backs out there. I just felt, I didn’t believe it. I go back, and I watch the tape, and I watch film just to try to get a different perspective, and I mean, my feelings haven’t changed. It’s just kind of what it is. Defensively, we help from time to time, offensively, I just think guys kind of exhaust their options and then when there’s nothing else for them, then they’ll pass it when they have to. For the most part, we’ve been very selfish" -Joe Johnson
"Everyone in here together working towards the goal. No more being late, be on time in the training room getting your treatment, getting your weights in; be on the court at the same time. It’s a much more togetherness, much more camaraderie. We hold each other accountable and we have high expectations of each other." - Brook Lopez
It's impressive how people will defend a player who made a hall of fame coach quit on the job (Jerry Sloan), another hall of fame player give up on the team entirely (Jason Kidd), got two coaches fired in Brooklyn (Avery Johnson & Lionel Hollins), and had to be physically restrained in altercations with two of them (Jerry Sloan & Lionel Hollins), as well as hall of fame players & teammates who hated him. But, what do I know. At the end of the day I suppose teammates, hall of fame players, hall of fame coaches, and fans are all really just out to slander Deron Willaims.
A Brief History of Deron Williams Feuding With Everyone Ever