Could Trade Interest in Ziaire Williams Emerge After NTC News for Nets?

There are many parallels between the new contracts the Brooklyn Nets handed Day'Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams. Both were restricted free agents who had their rights renounced, both agreed to their new deals on the first open day of free agency and now both have waived no-trade clauses that were included in their agreements.

Per Spotrac's Keith Smith, Williams waived his no-trade clause on Wednesday, just a day after Sharpe did the exact same thing. We speculated this after the Sharpe news, but now that Williams has followed suit, will the act alone stir up interest in the former lottery selection?

Versatile, two-way wings are always in demand. That's been the case for years. Williams, a great defender with a growing offensive game, appeared to be a "bust" after fizzling out with the Memphis Grizzlies. Under head coach Jordi Fernandez, he rebuilt his reputation with the Nets, and it's impossible for rivals not to notice.

You may be asking, "Well, if he's so desirable, why didn't he have any suitors when Brooklyn renounced its rights to the player months ago?"

Remember, there was a salary cap crisis for almost all of the free agency period. Guys like Cam Thomas, Josh Giddey and Jonathan Kuminga likely don't wait as long and receive more money if many of the NBA's franchises weren't in dire need of cap relief in 2025. Just look at the sheer amount of salary dumps that have taken place this summer, if you disagree.

Brooklyn has also made it clear that anyone is available for the right price, and now Williams is—at least in the eyes of the NBA—legally "available."

It'd be hard to imagine, even though Williams is just 23 years old and clearly meant to be a pillar of the Nets' rebuild, General Manager Sean Marks not receiving calls regarding the talented small forward come February's trade deadline, assuming Brooklyn isn't anywhere near contention as expected. Now, that obviously doesn't mean the Nets will part ways with one of Fernandez's favorite rotational pieces—regardless of the offer. Brooklyn is trying to build a culture, and Williams fits it perfectly.

But that idea alone won't be enough to deter contending teams from placing that call to Marks. Williams would benefit teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks or even the Nets' cross-town rival New York Knicks almost immediately.

His value is immense, which is precisely why Brooklyn won't move him unless the return package warrants it.