<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It seems, however, that Williams has had a change of heart. Raptors general manager Rob Babcock said yesterday he had a positive and constructive talk with the hard-nosed forward over the summer and, in a surprising development, added that Williams wouldn't mind remaining with the Raptors, who are embarking on a youth kick. "It was a tough situation for him," Babcock said of the trade. "But what he told me (this summer) was that after finishing off the season (with the Raptors) and getting to know the young guys and getting to understand what we're trying to do, he really liked the direction this team is going and thinks he can be a positive part of that. "He said 'I know I asked to be traded, and I could be traded at any time and if it happens, it happens, but I'm completely positive about returning here and helping this team get back into the playoffs,' " the GM said. Williams, a native of Newark, N.J., signed as a free agent with the Nets last year in the hopes of playing out his career in his home state. The trade to Toronto deeply troubled the normally easy-going forward, and his resentment showed. Averaging 9.0 points during his 10-year NBA career, Williams, considered an excellent team leader when he is content, averaged only 4.7 with Toronto. Babcock said the Raptors, a team full of young, impressionable players, could benefit from the leadership traits offered by Williams, 33. The hunt for a backup point guard continues with former Chicago Bulls rookie star Jay Williams the one player the Raptors most covet. </div> Source
Hopefully he can contribute, because he was a completely different player in Toronto than he was in New Jersey.
