This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Dallas • Jazz players and coach Tyrone Corbin react Wednesday to the unexpected trade of Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets.
Tyrone Corbin
"I like Deron, and he's been with us for six years now. I like what he's brought to the franchise. I think he's a good teammate for these guys. I thought he helped us win games. And we're going to miss him from that."
Raja Bell
"In his absence, I'll do my best. We'll kind of see who assumes more of the leadership role. … It can't just be for me. I'm 34. A lot of times that's got to come from your No. 1 guy; your alpha dog."
Andrei Kirilenko
"I'm definitely surprised. We couldn't believe it. … It's not nice, losing a player. … But it is what it is."
Paul Millsap
"I'm a little drained but I feel good, man. We can only control what we can control. Some stuff is out of our hands. As a player, you just can't wait for the trade deadline to be over with. Because you never know. If a person like that is not secure, who is?"
Al Jefferson
"C.J. [Miles] asked me if I heard [on the elevator], and I was like, 'Heard what?' I got downstairs, and he was telling everybody goodbye."
C.J. Miles
"It's crazy. My mom texted me. That's how I kind of found out. She said she'd heard a rumor that Deron had been traded. And I was looking at my phone, like she probably just saw it somewhere and it never happened."
Earl Watson
"It's interesting. I wish D-Will the best of luck in New Jersey. I wish all the goals that he set out to be true. I know how badly he wants to win, and it looks like he will."
Ronnie Price
"We know that things happen in this league. And we know that sometimes things happen unexpected and surprisingly. You can't question it. You've just got to move forward."
Gordon Hayward
"It's kind of crazy. You wake up and I saw D-Will in the training room. He's laughing with us and everything. Next thing you know, he's gone."
Jeremy Evans
"For me it's all a learning experience. Good players always get traded and some got to go other places. I'm just learning from it."
Francisco Elson
"Being in the NBA, I'm not surprised about anything. We've seen great players go to other teams. This right here is what it is. We can't turn back the time. Hopefully he's happy where he's at and we'll move on."
Kyrylo Fesenko
"I was shocked like everybody else. But it's basketball. Sport is business."
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