The Associated Press reported on September 28 that Marcus Williams broke a bone in his right foot and will miss all of training camp.

Not good.

Really not good if you’re Jason Kidd and you can’t play 38 minutes a game and score 18 points every night anymore.

However, the Nets do have a competent replacement, as they signed Robert Hite this offseason and overall, they’re quite comparable on paper, at least.

Playing in 12 games last season with the Heat, Hite averaged 4.3 points in 11.3 minutes a game. Williams averaged a little over six points a game last year in roughly 15 minutes a game.

Not great numbers by any means, but at 6’2, 184 pounds, Hite should be able to play a speed game that could offset the plodders like Jason Collins and Malik Allen on the Nets bench.

Despite the comparable numbers however, I’m sure that most Nets fans would agree that Williams is a sounder option off the bench and is a better shooter with more upside than Hite. Scoring 27 points in a game against Phoenix last season, Williams has shown the ability to step up off the bench and get baskets when he has to.

The biggest thing I think the Nets will miss if William’s injury takes him out of the lineup during the regular season however is William’s passing ability. Williams is a competent point guard, Hite played five of his 12 games there and isn’t the kind of passer the Nets need off the bench.

Hite also is a guy that is more comfortable playing shooting guard, making his transition to point guard one that may not be as easy as I’m making it out to be.

Again, this may not mean anything once the regular season starts because chances are William’s will be back by then, but if William’s takes his time getting back in a groove, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hite get some playing time.

Then again, the Nets could go pick somebody up to fill in for Williams if the injury is more serious than the organization thinks it is.