He got fined $7,500 for saying his team is the worst in the league.  He screamed he'd never make another pass to Pau Gasol again.

His off-court relation with his teammates is about as inconsistent as his behind-the-back-off-the-elbow passes.  Right?

Nope.  Memphis Commercial Appeal's Ron Tillerey says Jason Williams "enjoys a respectful, trusting relationship with [Coach Sidney] Lowe. And to Lowe's credit, Williams has sacrificed flair for fundamentals."

Co-captain Grant Long says, "He's loyal to his teammates, and he has a burning desire to win."  And after screaming at Gasol, Williams helped him on the way to a career-high 31 points a couple of days later.

Teammate Shane Battier -- the model of evenhanded -- says, "The guys on the team liken him to an artist, where he can be brilliant, he can be elusive, he can be misunderstood sometimes."

It's a different situation from Sacramento.