Nets May Shut Down Williams

By Justin Worsley.

The New Jersey Nets may shut down star point guard Deron Williams for the remainder of the season according to the Bergen Record.

Williams, who was acquired by the Nets last month in a last-minute trade with the Utah Jazz, is averaging 14.3 points and 13.7 assists in seven games with the Nets.

The 26-year-old All-Star has a strained right wrist which was aggravated in Friday night's 105-95 loss to Milwaukee. Despite the injury, which was suffered in the third quarter, Williams remained in the game.

Williams missed two games last week to be present for the birth of his son. He returned to help the Nets upset the Boston Celtics, however, he has shot only 9-for-36 from the field, including a 1-for-12 outing against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. In those three games, Williams has scored a combined 39 points, but he has still been able to dish out nearly 10 assists per game.

Williams suffered the injury in January while still with Utah. While he insists he has been told by team doctors that he only needs 3-4 weeks rest to heal the injury, Nets head coach Avery Johnson, a former point guard with the San Antonio Spurs, told the Associated Press that he feels the injury would need "4-6 weeks."

Williams is under contract with the Nets until 2012.