New Jersey guard Deron Williams is expected to sign with agent Leon Rose, a source said Tuesday, after leaving former longtime agent Bob McClaren.
Messages left for Rose and a representative for McClaren were not immediately returned.
Bloomberg News reported Tuesday that Williams had fired McClaren, who is primarily known as an MLB agent but had close ties with Williams.
Williams spent six seasons with the Jazz before being unexpectedly traded Feb. 23 to the Nets.
Rose, who is affiliated with Creative Artists Agency, is one of the premier agents in the NBA. CAA represents LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul, among others, and played a pivotal role in James' controversial decision to move to Miami last summer. Williams is expected to sign with Rose, the source said, with the hope that Rose's star power will help bring top-tier talent to Brooklyn, which is where the Nets are expected to move for the 2012-13 season.
Williams has one year left on his contract with New Jersey. He holds a player option worth $17.7 million in 2012-13.
One of the main reasons Utah dealt Williams to the Nets was the belief that he would not re-sign with the Jazz, preferring instead to play in a larger sports market that had a better chance of winning an NBA title.
Since joining the Nets, Williams has said that he is open to remaining in New Jersey. He places emphasis upon winning more than anything else, though, and wants to make sure that the Nets have the necessary pieces to compete at a high level before committing to the organization for the long term.
Brian T. Smith
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