If Dwight Howard needed any more assurance that the Brooklyn Nets were serious about contending down the line, he got it on Tuesday when they re-signed star point guard Deron Williams to a lucrative contract.

According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, the Nets signed Williams to a five-year deal worth approximately $100 million:

 

Keep in mind, the Nets already traded for former Atlanta Hawks All-Star guard Joe Johnson, re-signed small forward Gerald Wallace and acquired the rugged Reggie Evans from the Los Angeles Clippers. All of a sudden, they have enough talent on the team to potentially lure Howard to Brooklyn.

Howard would not only be playing for a big-market team, he could provide a powerful tandem with Williams, with enough talent surrounding both of them to make a run in the playoffs.

142648640_crop_exact Chris Chambers/Getty Images

Of course, for it all to be possible, the Nets would have to put together enough assets and be able to absorb salary from Orlando in a potential Howard deal.

 

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One way that could happen is if they do a sign-and-trade with power forward Kris Humphries. Chris Broussard of ESPN wrote before the Williams deal that the Nets and Magic were discussing a trade that would send Howard to Brooklyn for Humphries, a re-signed Brook Lopez, MarShon Brooks and the Nets' first-round draft picks in 2013, 2015 and 2017. Even after the Williams deal, that is still a possibility.

The fact of the matter is the Nets still have a shot at Howard, which is remarkable considering all they've done so far. They will face stiff competition in the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets, per Yahoo! Sports.

 

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