Photo: CounterKicks.com
The New Jersey Nets acquired Deron Williams with the idea of building their franchise around an all-star caliber point guard and to help ease the transition to Brooklyn following this season, but knowing the entire time that they ran the risk of losing him in free agency.Call it good faith, but when the Nets traded for Williams, they must have known that free agency would have been a sexy-option for a player in his demand, but New Jersey must have believed that he was a lock to re-sign with them. But as the shortened NBA season trundles on, the very real risk of Williams not re-signing and pursuing a career with a contending team is becoming more and more clear for the Nets.
That is of course, if the Nets don't trade for Dwight Howard.
According to sources at ESPN, Williams has made the choice that if the Nets don't get Howard then he will be bouncing out of town at the end of this year. The source goes as far as to say a top list of destinations where Williams would like to play, with the likes of the Lakers, Knicks, and Mavericks all named.
Williams has said in the past that he would like to re-sign with the Nets, not only because they are willing to give him a massive contract, but also because the team will be re-locating to Brooklyn after this season. The move would place Williams into the big market in the NBA and open window after window of new opportunities.
The issue is, Williams could get that kind of money the Nets would offer anywhere. Maybe even in New York with the Knicks. The Nets need to offer Williams something to convince him to stay a Net, and money won't the entire answer this time around. New Jersey needs to make that blockbuster trade with the Orlando Magic for Howard.
During the NBA Lockout, Howard being traded to the Nets seemed to be all but a done deal, but like most good trade rumors, nothing ever materialized. After the lockout was lifted, it seemed like Howard could've gone anywhere and the Nets fell behind the new trade hype. Then out of nowhere, the Magic pulled Howard off of the trading block, perhaps in one last-ditch effort to re-sign him in Orlando.
Now, it is clear that Howard is done as a member of the Magic. Whether Orlando ends up trading him away or he leaves via free agency, any chance of Howard staying is almost totally gone. The best option for both parties would be a mutually beneficial trade.
This is where New Jersey enters the scene again.
I will not waste time trying to speculate a trade offer for Howard, because I feel that I would either entirely undervalue or totally overvalue him. I will say this, the Nets young center Brook Lopez is going to be part of the deal, but his broken foot is only going to complicate matters.
But somehow, even if it has to be a crazy three-team deal, the Nets need to trade for Howard. Whatever has to be done needs to happen. There is literally no expense, aside from Williams, that should be spared when trying to trade for Howard.
New Jersey has nothing to lose. If they don't trade for Howard, and Williams ends up leaving through free agency, the team will be left with nothing. They will have taken an entire step back, and the Nets don't have anywhere near the talent level to compete without a star player.
The idea of losing Williams should be enough to send a reality-check to the Nets upper management. To trade for Howard may require a total mortgage of the team, but ends justify the means. Williams has demanded another player, one that is in the perfect situation to be traded for, and the Nets can't stand firm and not try and make a serious push for Howard.
Just like the Knicks last season, the Nets have to make a move for elite talent.
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