NBA Trade Deadline 2012: The One Trade the New Jersey Nets Must Make

NETS TRADE: Brook Lopez and Mehmet Okur

HAWKS TRADE: Josh Smith, Jason Collins and their 2012 No. 1 Pick

The New Jersey (soon to be Brooklyn) Nets should be the next great NBA dynasty. Yes, you read that right. If the Nets do not become the best team in the NBA (at least "on paper") as early as next season, their GM will have failed and should be fired, period.

Dwight Howard has made it known that he wants to play for the Brooklyn Nets next year, to be the new face of their franchise and be surrounded with enough talent to win an NBA championship immediately. The Nets have all the pieces in place to make it happen.

They already have a great point guard in Deron Williams, a super-talented young shooting guard in MarShon Brooks, two draft picks, (one of which should be a high lottery pick in this year's upcoming draft) and a ton of cap space to spend on free agents.

There is no real reason why the Nets should not be able to instantly transform themselves into title contenders next season.

Brook Lopez is a fantastic, young, true center in a league where very few in his position roam the courts anymore, which is a major bonus for the Nets. While speed kills in the NCAA, size kills in the NBA. Just ask the Lakers, who routinely torture teams with their size and extreme length.

Brook Lopez is also about to be made as expendable as a broken watch—as soon as the ink dries on Dwight "Superman" Howard's soon-coming contract with the Nets.

New Jersey would be wise to trade him now before the offseason comes and Lopez ends up receiving a monster contract offer from another team that the Nets would not be able to realistically match.

Josh Smith is one of Dwight Howard's best friends, and it has been reported that the two young stars have dreamed about playing together in the NBA for years. The Nets can easily make those dreams come true.

I believe there are a number of teams the Nets could trade Lopez to, but this proposed trade is as good an idea as any, and one that would have the blessing of Dwight Howard and inspire him more than ever before to leave Orlando to become the new face of Brooklyn.

The Nets cannot afford not to pull the trigger on this trade.

As for the Hawks, I do believe they would sign off on this trade in a heartbeat, regardless of Lopez's most recent injury, which should keep him out for a few weeks.

Al Horford and his father have cried long and hard for the Hawks to bring in a true center so that Horford can move to his more natural power forward slot.

Brook Lopez would be the perfect center to make the Horfords' wishes come true. The two young bigs could be a dominant low-post duo for the next six to eight years in Atlanta.

This trade is one that should be made, and fast.