Jason Williams To Stay In Orlando

Looks like White Chocolate has another year to work on his legacy. The Orlando Sentinel reports: “The defending Southeast Division champions re-signed 34-year-old Jason Williams on Tuesday, even though Williams likely will enter the season as the team’s third-string point guard behind starter Jameer Nelson and fellow free-agent signee Chris Duhon. ‘I think Jason can handle the role,’ said Otis Smith, the Magic’s president of basketball operations. It’s believed that Williams signed a one-year contract worth $1.35 million, the minimum for a player with at least 10 years of NBA experience. Orlando now has 13 players with guaranteed contracts for the upcoming season. Williams likely will be the team’s final significant free-agent acquisition of the summer, though the team might sign a couple of players to unguaranteed contracts to provide extra bodies for the preseason. Williams excelled last season after he took a year off to help his wife through a difficult pregnancy. The Magic posted a 14-4 record when Williams started at point guard when Nelson was injured. Williams finished the season averaging 6.0 points and 3.6 assists per game. ‘He knows how to play,’ Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said Tuesday. ‘He knows what we’re doing. He knows the other guys. He’s just got a great spirit about him, a great enthusiasm and a great upbeat personality that helps our team. If you look at our team, I don’t think there’s anybody in the league that’s deeper at that position than we are. We have three starting-caliber point guards. Clearly, Jameer’s injuries in the past two years, and especially two years ago, have made it really clear how important it is to have solid people at that position, and we have done that.’ Smith acknowledged that he spoke with Williams to make sure Williams could handle limited playing time, if necessary.”