New Jersey Nets Without Dwight Howard: Is Trading Deron Williams Plan B?

With all the attention circling on Dwight Howard possibly heading to New Jersey, Nets fans are asking:  “What is GM Billy King’s plan if they can’t land Dwight either threw trade this season or by free agency next summer?”

But if you read between the lines, the real question Nets fans should be asking is: “What do we do with our star player Deron Williams if we can’t land Dwight?”

Let’s face facts. 

The 8-15 Nets are lost on the court and tough to watch 

Outside of Williams, starters like Anthony Morrow, Kris Humphries, Damion James, and Mehmet Okur are bench players on most good teams in the league.  While Marshon Brooks has proved to be a steal in the draft (averaging 14.8 points per game on 45.9 percent shooting in his rookie season) and the fact center Brook Lopez has been out all season, no one expected this group to reach the postseason, even with a healthy team and a full training camp this past fall.

Is New Jersey’s trade offer to Dwight Howard even the best deal Orlando could get? 

Over the summer, the Nets were rumored to be offering two 1^st round draft picks and Lopez for Howard.  With Lopez’s nagging injury and the Net’s first round pick in 2012 owned by Utah (top seven protected), it’s not implausible to think Orlando GM Otis Smith is no longer interested in what New Jersey has to offer. 

So if landing Dwight is no longer an option, is Plan B to trade Williams to salvage the team’s future?

If so, what is his value around the league?

Given his contract situation (ability to opt out of deal after this season), a trade to a winning team will most likely be atop William’s priority with the intent on signing an extension.  Here are some potential destinations that may fit what Williams and the Nets need to move forward.   

Williams for Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Klay Thompson

You have to throw Golden State’s name in any trade rumor these days since they always seem to be in the mix.  If they can sell Deron on playing with Steph Curry in the backcourt and convince him that guys like Dorrell Wright and David Lee will be good enough to get this team into the playoffs, then the deal is feasible. 

If you’re New Jersey, you’re getting a scorer in Ellis that will automatically become your focal selling point to fans.  In addition, you pick up two young prospects that you wouldn’t have since New Jersey traded away their future 1^st round pick and Derrick Favors to Utah in the deal that brought Williams over last season. 

Williams for Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, and Andres Nocioni.

It’s a tough sell for the Sixers to trade away their young backcourt that has shown great promise in leading the Sixers to a 16-6 record so far this season.  But adding a top flight point guard in the league to mesh with core pieces like Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, and Lou Williams may push Sixers brass into submission. 

A trade like this for New Jersey would be an example of pushing the “reset” button on the team’s rebuilding process, a process that begin back in the ’07-’08 season when the team finally traded All-Star guard Jason Kidd to Dallas.  But you can’t argue the talent they’d receive in return.  Holiday and Turner have been outstanding playmakers and teammates on an overachieving Sixer team, averaging 24.2 points and 7.5 assists as a backcourt together.

Williams, Damion James and Anthony Morrow for Mike Conley and Rudy Gay

It’s a stretch, but not as farfetched as it may seem.  A deal like this is all contingent on the health of Zach Randolph this season.  Last year’s postseason success all came without stud forward Rudy Gay, who also signed a massive extension with the team the summer before.  Swapping Conley for Williams and heading to the playoffs with a healthy Randolph and Marc Gasol could make the Grizzlies a perennial favorite in the Western Conference for years to come. 

What New Jersey is acquiring is proven talent, although it comes at a steep price.  Gay’s 4-year,  $68.7-million and Conley’s 5-years, $40-million contracts tie up a significant chunk of cap space for the future. Pairing the two with talents like Brooks and Lopez may prove to be a solid foundation to build off of in a much weaker Eastern Conference.

Williams and Mehmet Okur for Josh Smith, Jeff Teague and Kirk Hinrich

If trading Williams becomes a must, no trade makes more sense for both teams than this.  Teague has been showcasing his talents quite well since last season’s postseason success and into this year, but the opportunity of landing a top talent like Williams is sure worth Atlanta’s time to entertain.  Smith, although extremely talented, is the odd man out in Atlanta. 

With Joe Johnson and Al Horford receiving extensions the past two offseasons, Smith’s days as a Hawk have been numbered.  Not to mention his skill set and size have forced Horford to play out of position for most of his career. 

Similar to the Memphis deal, the Nets would be acquiring some proven talent in exchange for their star guard.  The only difference would be the cap flexibility the Nets are receiving from the Hawks.  Smith has only 2 years and $25.6 million left on his contract while Teague is still on a rookie-scale deal and Hinrich's contract expires after this season. 

A trade moving Williams seems to be unlikely at this point.  For all intents and purposes, he may even be willing exercise his player option and stay with the Nets one more year, with or without Dwight in Brooklyn.  But if he chooses not to opt in, the Nets will be starting their new reign in Brooklyn with a very bleak future.  Hopefully, Billy King is monitoring William’s situation and keeping his options open to help this franchise improve long term.