LAS VEGAS – Kings coach George Karl says he liked 6-foot-8 forward Derrick Williams. Just not enough to pay him $10 million over two years, as Knicks president Phil Jackson agreed to do earlier this month in one of the surprising free-agent signings of the summer.
The 2011 draft bust improved under Karl, but still failed to up to his billing, never becoming a strong enough rebounder or 3-point shooter.
“It was more of fitting the finances and making the finances work,’’said Karl, whose Kings were well under the salary cap. “There are other pieces we wanted and we couldn’t have enough money for him.