His NBA career probably wasn't foremost on Sean Williams' mind when he grabbed a computer monitor at a Denver-area cell phone store on Monday afternoon. He was in the middle of a verbal spat with a clerk, according to police, when he lifted up the monitor and threw it across the store, and it's doubtful that they were arguing about how Williams was inching ever closer to losing his gig as a NBA player.
Sometime after the altercation, though, Williams probably gave a moment's thought to his future with the Nets. Maybe it was in the back of the police car, or while he was sitting in the Douglas County Jail that he realized that his talent will only be able to save him so many times. Williams had played his way back into the Nets rotation of late, and had been playing some decent ball. He's blocked more than a shot a game over the last 11 contests while playing limited minutes, a reminder of why he went in the first round of the NBA Draft in the first place.
That reminder, though, pales in comparison to the one offered by his arrest. Williams was recently arrested in Boston for trespassing on Boston College's campus, charges that were dropped because B.C. basketball coach Al Skinner invited him without knowing that it would violate the law. Williams knew he wasn't welcomed there, though, which makes it questionable judgment even now. Williams also decided it would be better to be disruptive upon being sent to the NBA D-League earlier this season, to the point that the Nets' affiliate asked them to retrieve their player, instead of using it as a wake-up call to concentrate on improving his game.
Williams didn't accompany the Nets home from Denver last night, and both Rod Thorn and Lawrence Frank were brusque in dismissing questions after acknowledging Williams' arrest.
Talent has gotten Williams this far, but it won't be enough to keep bailing him out of trouble. It wouldn't be surprising if his run with the Nets came to an end sooner rather than later.
Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.
