Terrence Williams' first NBA head coach likes what he sees from him so far as a King.
Avery Johnson coached the guard-forward when he played for the New Jersey Nets, who drafted him 11th overall in 2009.
"It looks like, from what I've seen on video, that he's keeping his game simple, taking what the defense gives him, and we're happy for him," Johnson said before Saturday's game. Williams averaged 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in his first four Kings games leading up to Saturday, when he had eight points and three assists.
Things got off to a rocky start for Williams in New Jersey, as he was cited for breaking team rules and the Nets sent him to the NBA Development League.
The Kings signed Williams after he was waived last month by Houston, which acquired him from New Jersey in 2010. They signed him to a 10-day contract March 21 and will keep Williams the rest of the season.
Johnson said he would not attribute Williams' reported lack of maturity to any problems that surfaced in New Jersey.
"At that time, everybody had to do what was best for them, and what was best for us was to get him in a different situation, and we've all moved on," Johnson said. "But he's just a really good kid, and he's still a young player with great potential, and I'm sure (Kings coach) Keith Smart is going to do a great job with him."
Smart said the skills Williams has shown with the Kings – passing, defense, scoring ability and court savvy – have been there all along.
"He had those in college," Smart said.
"It wasn't something that I'm trying to create for him – he already had those type of things. Now he's in the right situation at the moment where he can utilize his skills, and he's blending in with the team."
Still out – Reserve guard-forward John Salmons missed a third consecutive game with a sore right hip.
After struggling as a starter this season, Salmons has become one of the Kings' better bench players, averaging 8.1 points on 53.4 percent shooting in 14 games as a reserve compared to 7.2 points on 36.6-percent shooting in 32 starts.
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