The day after Avery Johnson called Mavericks owner Mark Cuban “a threat” to sign away point guard Deron Williams as a free agent this summer, the Nets shifted into damage control mode. Johnson, at his pregame media briefing, let reporters know he didn’t appreciate the fact everyone focused on that part of the quote rather than the second part, where he talked about how much influence Williams has on everything the Nets are doing these days.

And GM Billy King first went on the radio, then talked to reporters, saying he wouldn’t characterize the Mavericks as a threat.

“I don’t look at it as a threat,” King said. “I mean, it’s reality. They’ve got cap space, and he’s obviously from Dallas. So I think if you follow Avery, the whole quote, he says ‘But I do think he’ll be playing in Brooklyn next year.’ So … it doesn’t worry me.”

via Colin Stephenson of The Star-Ledger