Deron Williams on troublesome ankles: 'A lot better than last year,' not 100%

Deron Williams's ankles are feeling better, and that's really all he can ask for.

With multiple issues and surgeries on both ankles over the past few years, Williams is dealing with a fair amount of scar tissue and may never be 100 percent healthy. The Brooklyn Nets point guard is a constant injury concern as a result, and he is asked for updates almost daily because of it.

This is a 30-year-old player, and it seems unfair he's already forced to take his health as a day-to-day matter. The early returns through preseason are encouraging, though, and Williams remains positive about his status for the coming season.

"I'm still getting there, still getting my feet under me," Williams said Monday. "There's still scar tissue in my ankles. Just working through it, but I feel good, a lot better than last year. Just continue to get my lift back game-by-game."

Williams is averaging 14.2 points and 5.8 assists in 26.7 minutes during the preseason. More importantly, his health has allowed the Nets to push the pace on offense, something they've been unable to do the past few seasons.

At whatever pace they play, the Nets would probably be happy just to have Williams on the floor. While he played 78 games in 2012-13, he's missed an average of 11.7 games since 2008-09 and managed just 64 appearances a year ago.