NBA Rumors: Nets Present Only Hope for Dwight Howard and Deron Williams Tandem
Dwight Howard's wish to have Nets' point guard Deron Williams join him in Orlando is, to put it mildly, a pipe dream.
The all-word center has been the center of trade speculation all offseason. His contract is up at the end of the year, and the prevailing thought has been that the Magic would have to trade him before watching him walk away for nothing.
However, recent developments suggest that Howard wants to stay in Orlando and wants others to join him—namely, Deron Williams. As you'll see, this is not going to happen. First, digest the latest rumors if you haven't yet seen them.
The Rumor
David Pingalore of WKMG Local 6 is reporting that Howard wants to stay in Orlando, and he wants the star point guard to join him.
"Multiple NBA sources confirmed to Pingalore that Howard has been heavily recruiting New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams to play with him in Orlando.
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Pingalore goes on to say that he has learned that the Magic are trying to trade for Williams. He then adds that the sources say there's an 80 percent chance of Howard returning to the Magic. If his return is contingent on landing Williams, it is not going to happen.
Why Williams Won't Join Dwight in Orlando
The Magic simply don't have the trade pieces to offer New Jersey. Williams is the centerpiece of that franchise. The Nets are going to do everything in their power to keep him. If they can't, they will seek the best possible trade, and that is not going to be a trade with Orlando.
The best that Orlando has to offer are guards Jason Richardson and Jameer Nelson. Those guys are 29 and 30, respectively. The Nets will want players with more of a future than those two, and they could land better players anyway.
Howard can recruit Williams all he wants, but there is no way that he is going to walk away from the Nets for nothing. If they are resigned to the fact that he will be leaving, it will come in a sign-and-trade deal.
It is impossible to tell if Williams will be a Net, but it is clear that he won't be a Magic. The only way these two will team up is if it happens in New Jersey.
The Nets have more valuable young pieces to offer than the Magic, and they are the only team in this equation equipped to pull this move together.
