Timberwolves sign CJ Williams to 2-way contract

Everything was looking up for CJ Williams last season.

Not only did he force his way onto the LA Clippers roster, but he eventually became a starter, hit a game-winning shot, and signed a 3-year deal.

It seemed as if he’d finally arrived. That the Clippers would use Williams as a regular in their rotation and this would be a feel-good story throughout 2018-19. But then, out of seemingly nowhere, the Clips waived him.

Now it’s on to a new chapter for the former NC State guard. Just last night, Williams finalized a 2-way deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

NBA Insaider, Shams Charania broke the news…

Sources: The Timberwolves and swingman C.J. Williams are finalizing a two-way NBA contract. Williams emerged as a rotation wing on a two-way deal with the Clippers last season.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 31, 2018

The terms of the deal have not yet been released.

“Williams appeared in 38 games (17 starts) as a rookie with the Los Angeles Clippers last season, averaging 5.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.8 steals in 18.6 minutes per game. He appeared in 16 games with the Agua Caliente Clippers of the NBA G League, averaging 16.5 points in 29.5 minutes per game. He was named the recipient of the 2017-18 NBA G League Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award on Apr. 11, which is given to the player who best represents the ideals of character and conduct on and off the court.” – NBA.com

The good news here is that CJ did enough with the Clippers to earn another 2-way deal. The bad news is, he’s going to have to prove himself NBA worthy to another team, which isn’t easy. However, Williams is no stranger to roadblocks and doubters and he’ll put his head down and get to work like he did at NC State and he’s done throughout his professional career.