In the late 2000s and early 2010s, a new generation of point guards began to take over the NBA, ushering in what many consider the greatest playmaker era of all time. The pioneers of that era were undoubtedly Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, Stephen Curry, Derrick Rose, Kemba Walker and indisputably, Deron Williams .
Between 2007 and 2013, D-Will averaged 19.4 points, 9.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 45.7 percent from the field, 35.5 percent from 3-point range and 83.2 percent from the free-throw line. During that stretch, he became a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a three-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA Second Team selection.
In today's pace-and-space era, with so much open floor, perimeter shooting, and emphasis on offense, it is scary to imagine what the former No. 3 overall pick would look like. A master of the pick-and-roll, Deron would definitively be a perennial MVP candidate.
So when Dwight Howard asked him on his podcast which modern team he would fit best with, Williams surprised everyone with his answer.
"I would probably say Spurs, or I would like to play in Denver with Jokic. Having him, because I'm good off the ball. I play well off the ball, so having a big that I can pick and pick and roll, pick and pop with, and then he knows how to pass like that, like he's a point guard. He averages 10 assists," D-Will stressed on "Above The Rim with DH 12".
"I might like playing with Jokic more than Wemby, to be honest. But Wemby on defense is a mother—ker, so having that, having that, you know, behind you the whole game, whoa," he added.
At first glance, pairing someone like Nikola Jokic with Williams in a Denver Nuggets uniform would seem to create potentially the best duo in the league. Both possess unmatched basketball IQ and court vision, and are elite in the pick-and-roll game.
Defending those two night in and night out seems like a mission impossible for the rest of the league. However, questions naturally arise about how they would compensate for a lack of speed and athleticism, and for defensive shortcomings, as well as how well they would actually complement each other, given that both like to dictate the tempo of the game.
On the other hand, Victor Wembanyama seems like a better fit on paper because he is not yet as good as Jokic at creating for himself and others. Meanwhile, Williams himself confirmed in the podcast that he regrets never having an elite rim-running big man who was a legitimate lob threat.
Talking about Wemby living off Williams' assists around the rim is a no-brainer. Even though he prefers operating on the perimeter rather than in the paint, the impression remains that playing alongside Deron could unlock that aspect of Victor's game.
Defensively, Williams would always have an insurance policy behind his back, as well as someone he wouldn't have to worry about in switching defense, whereas a combination of him and Jokic on that end would be quite questionable.
Of course, this is all hypothetical speculation, but at the end of the day, Williams feels Jokic would be the superior offensive fit for him. From a scoring and playmaking standpoint, there is no doubt about it, even if both would have to sacrifice touches. Given how unselfish both stars are, that exact dynamic might be why it would work so brilliantly.
It remains a true shame that injuries halted Williams' career, forcing him into retirement at just 32 years old. Because when Deron was healthy and on the floor, very few players in the world had an answer for him.
Related: "I was paying a guy $2,000 a day" – Deron Williams on trying to save his ankles in Brooklyn
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
