NBA Trade Rumors: Deron Williams and Dwight Howard Not Only Option for Nets

It's no secret that if the New Jersey Nets can't land Dwight Howard in a deal with the Orlando Magic, New Jersey's star player, Deron Williams, will be gone in free agency after the season. While in almost every circle it's considered a disaster scenario, there is one route the Nets can go to turn such a situation into a winning one.

Williams has reportedly given a wish list to the Nets, just in case they have to deal him with his imminent departure upon their failure to bring in Howard. One of the teams on that list is none other than the Los Angeles Lakers.

Granted, Williams has denied such a list, but it's a good possibility that rumor is true considering the Nets need a backup plan in the event of disaster.

Let's go back to the beginning of the season, when the Lakers were tying to pull off a trade with the New Orleans Hornets for Chris Paul. The deal involved Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, among others, but it wasn't to be as the NBA pulled the plug on the trade.

So clearly, in order to change things up, the Lakers are willing to deal their star power forward if it can bring in another all-star-caliber player. And in desperate need of a solid point guard and more perimeter speed, Los Angeles would be more than happy to take Williams off the Nets' hands.

And in turn, the Nets would be more than happy to get a return the likes of Gasol and maybe even a late first-rounder if they can squeeze it out of Los Angeles.

The deal would still leave the Lakers in contention for Howard with Andrew Bynum to Orlando still on the table, while the Nets would have a very formidable front court with Gasol and Brook Lopez, as long as he's healthy.

Such a combination as that would make the Nets very competitive in the East going into their move to Brooklyn next season. Throw in a possible lottery pick that the Nets would hold onto since they didn't trade for Howard and New Jersey's roster doesn't look so bad.

After that, the Nets could trade Kris Humphries to a team in need of a rebounder. Humphries could garner another first-rounder for the Nets with his value, averaging a double-double every night. This would give New Jersey further depth in next year's draft.

Guys like Anthony Morrow and/or MarShon Brooks could give support at the starting shooting guard spot and off the bench, leaving only a point guard spot and a bench to fill.

New Jersey will have the salaries of Humphries and Mehmet Okur coming off the books one way or another after this season, leaving them big players in next year's free-agent market.

Guys like Steve Nash, Raymond Felton and Jameer Nelson will all be available, and the Nets will be able to offer each of those players close to or more than what they made during this season. Any one of those options would give New Jersey instant credibility at not only the point, but for the entire starting five as well.

All that would be left is small forward and New Jersey could go the route of a defensive minded player at that position. With the other four possible players I mentioned in their lineup, they won't need to do anything big there.

It might not be the scenario most Nets' fans dreamed of at the start of this season, but it's certainly better than losing Deron Williams and getting nothing in return. If the Nets make the right moves this season, they could still be contenders to win the NBA Finals in their inaugural season in Brooklyn.