Deron Williams out at least 1 week with rib fracture

It's been a rough couple weeks for Deron Williams, who lost his starting point guard job with the Brooklyn Nets and is now about to lose a few games.

An MRI on Thursday revealed Williams has a fracture of the cartilage portion of his left 12th rib, the Nets announced. 

Williams has been dealing with soreness in his left side since last weekend, but initial imaging studies came back negative. He continued to play until having to remove himself from Wednesday's game against the Boston Celtics after just four minutes.  

"Yesterday during the game (Williams) reported a new onset of symptoms below the prior area of soreness," said Nets general manager Billy King. "New imaging studies done today demonstrated the fracture. There is no timetable for his return. He will be re-assessed in one week." 

In 32 games this season, Williams is averaging 13.9 points in 31.3 minutes (his lowest such numbers since his rookie season in 2005-2006), and shooting a career-worst 39.6 percent from the field. 

For Williams, this is just the latest in what's becoming a depressingly long list of injury woes since he was traded to the Nets from the Utah Jazz in February of 2011. 

Devin Kharpertian of The Brooklyn Game ran through that entire list, which includes surgeries on his right wrist and both ankles. 

The mounting physical problems have robbed Williams of all his explosiveness, destroyed his once-masterful off-the-bounce game and whittled his role down to spot-up shooting and occasional post-ups. 

They've also turned his contract - a near-$100-million deal he signed with the Nets in 2012 - into one of the league's most cumbersome and least rewarding financial commitments.