Contract Details...

Photographed by Chris Detrick, The Salt Lake Tribune

According to ESPN.com, and the natural order of the world, Deron Williams will sign a similar contract to what fellow point guard Chris Paul has signed. Essentially it's a 3 year deal with a player's option for the 4th year. Interestingly enough:

"The total value of Paul's deal is $68 million . . . although the exact value of Williams' extension won't be determined until the NBA sets its salary cap next July, the Tribune reports Williams will earn approximately $50 million for the first three years of the deal and as much as $70 million if he exercises the option." (ESPN.com, 2008)

Some wonder why he did not take more years, and have begun to worry about the possibility of bolting the jazz after 3 years. This is clearly not going to be the case as he is the face of the franchise; lives here full-time, year round; and has the ear of the Jazz brass to the point that all future player movement and transactions will occur only with his blessings. This is purely a financial move as he can upgrade from 25% of the cap to 30% of the cap after being in the league for 7 seasons. (Deron's assessment that Boozer should opt out for more money is a smart financial move suggests that he is savvy to this point. "It's a no-brainer. He could make more money." (Deron Williams via Lewis, Salt Lake Tribune, 2008))

This is what LeBron is going to do, what Bosh is going to do, what Wade is going to do.

"In recent summers, James, Wade and Paul all chose three-year extensions with fourth-year options while Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony signed for four years with fifth-year options.

Although the Jazz had hoped to convince him to sign the longer extension, Williams did express a strong desire to say in Utah during negotiations, sources said. He was drafted No. 3 overall by the Jazz in 2005 and greeted by the enormous expectations of following John Stockton.

Williams recently bought a house in the area and has spent much of the summer in town. He has worked out all week with the Jazz's summer-league team, including Thursday morning, and is expected to attend tonight's Rocky Mountain Revue opener." (Siler, Salt Lake Tribune, 2008)

1320 KFan will stream the press conference live at 4 pm est.