Ziaire Williams was riding high entering the 2025-2026 campaign. After turning in a career-best season following his trade to the Brooklyn Nets, Williams signed a two-year, $12 million contract extension this summer. However, a rough start to this season has raised questions about his future with the team.
Williams has been unable to replicate his production from a year ago through 14 appearances. Offensively, the fifth-year forward is shooting just 38.1 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from three. Defensively, he's provided little resistance at the point of attack for a reeling Nets squad.
Those struggles culminated in Jordi Fernandez removing Williams from Brooklyn's rotation during Monday's matchup with the New York Knicks.
“It was just my decision. I wanted to challenge him with his defense,” Fernandez said of Williams' benching. “Last year, he was elite at a lot of the things that we care [about] defensively, from ball pressure to deflections to pick and roll defense to defending isolations. He was huge [there], and I haven't felt that energy [this year]. I can go through the numbers, and they were not there. So I challenge him to do it. I wasn't all the way happy with the last two games.
“This is not about me being right or wrong. It's just about giving an opportunity to somebody else to refocus, to be ready for the next opportunity. And when it comes, then just take it and sustain it and be the best defensive player on the team and one of the best in the NBA, which I believe he's more than capable of doing.”
Jordi Fernandez on why he removed Ziaire Williams from the rotation tonight:
"I wanted to challenge him with his defense. Last year he was elite with a lot of the things that we want… I haven't felt that energy this year… The numbers are not there. I wasn't all the way happy… pic.twitter.com/x48xIkXPz6
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) November 25, 2025
Williams' benching came after he turned in his worst performances of the season in Brooklyn's prior two games.
Ziaire Williams removed from Nets' rotation amid struggles
The 24-year-old posted eight points on 2-of-8 shooting with zero assists and three turnovers in 44 minutes across losses to the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors. Fernandez replaced Williams with Jalen Wilson in Brooklyn's rotation during Monday's 113-100 loss to the Knicks.
“I just gave the chance to J-Will, who has always been ready. Whether I play him more or less, he's always been there for his teammates,” the coach said.
Wilson struggled to take advantage of the opportunity, posting six points on 2-of-7 shooting with one assist and two turnovers in 23 minutes. The 2023 second-round pick is having the best outside shooting season of his career, converting 38.6 percent of his threes. However, he's shot just 35 percent on twos and struggled defensively, posting a team-worst -13.7 net rating, per CleaningTheGlass.
Williams should re-enter the Nets' rotation in the coming games. The former lottery pick will have the remainder of the season to prove his worth to the team's front office. Brooklyn will face a decision on Williams this summer, as he has a $6.25 million team option for next season.
