Brooklyn Nets 2025-26 Season Player Grades: Ziaire Williams

When a team rewards you with a contract extension before the season begins, there's some added pressure to perform. That's exactly what Ziaire Williams faced entering the 2025-26 season.

The Nets inked Williams to a 2-year, $12.5 million deal last September, with a team option for the second year. It was a big move of confidence from the franchise, as they believed Williams would take another step forward in his fifth NBA season. The pressure was on for Williams to reward Brooklyn's faith.

He finished this past season with 56 games played, making 13 starts. Williams averaged a career-high 10.2 points per game, to go along with 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per contest. The numbers were virtually identical to the ones he posted in the 2024-25 season, which isn't exactly the step forward he or the organization was hoping for.

Standing at 6-foot-9 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, the biggest skillset that Williams brings to the table is his defensive versatility. That's what he's known for. Being able to guard almost all five positions and being a chess piece for Jrodi Fernandez to move around on that side of the court was a huge reason why the Nets re-signed him.

Williams was largely good defensively last season, racking up steals and hustle plays almost every night. His overall defensive rating, much like the rest of the team, wasn't great. But that shouldn't be held against Williams, who was a steady presence on defense. The main thing still holding him back from reaching another level is his efficiency.

Williams shot just 42.5% from the field and 34.3% from beyond the arc last season. Across his five NBA seasons, he's shot 42.2% overall and 32.2% from the three-point line. Those numbers need to get better if Williams wants to be anything more than a bench player who enters the game late for defensive reasons.

If he can shoot closer to 48-50% from the field and 37-38% from three, that'll force opposing teams to respect him more as a scorer and open up the floor for his teammates. That needs to be his top priority this Summer at the gym.

The Nets will most likely pick up Williams' team option this offseason, meaning next season will be another contract year for the former Stanford Cardinal. Improvements offensively with his efficiency could earn Williams some dough next offseason. Continued efficiency struggles could leave him without a certain role. The pressure will really be on for Williams in 2026-27.

Season grade: C+