NBA Rumors: Why Deron Williams Would Be Ideal Addition for Kobe Bryant

The Los Angeles Lakers are still active in trade discussion today, with just hours to go before the NBA trade deadline. Now, the Lakers have turned their sights onto elite New Jersey Nets’ point guard Deron Williams.

A report from ESPN has stated that the Nets are unwilling to trade Williams and that they are trying to clear cap space for free agency in the summer.

It has been well-documented that the Lakers have been shopping around Pau Gasol to try and find pieces in return to improve their squad. One such piece that they are looking to acquire is an elite point guard.

However, according to that same ESPN report, the Lakers offered Gasol to the Nets for Williams back in December and the Nets were not interested. Apparently, they still aren't.

The Lakers should continue to pursue this deal. They want an elite point guard for their team, and Williams is clearly the only truly “elite” guy close to being on the market.

Williams and Kobe Bryant together, would be the best backcourt in the NBA.

Williams would take some of the pressure off Bryant's, while also being the sort of distributor the Lakers need. Williams' presence would also create better shots for Kobe because defenses would have to be mindful of two offensive stars.

Scoring Help

Williams is a proven scorer. He is averaging a career high 22 points per game on 41 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent from the three-point line.

The percentages are not great, but they are what they are as a result of Williams having to be the Nets sole offensive creator. In other words, he is the Nets' Kobe.

Like Bryant's, Williams' numbers would improve in Los Angeles playing alongside Bryant and Andrew Bynum.

Bryant needs help and Williams is that help.

Distribution

The sign of a good point guard is that they make everyone around them better. Throughout his career in Utah and now in New Jersey, Williams has demonstrated such an ability.

He is averaging eight assists per game this season, impressive considering the motley crew around him in New Jersey. With all the talent the Lakers have, that number could easily reach double digits.

Little of this, little of that

The biggest reason the Lakers should go after Williams is because the guy can do just about everything.

As one of the biggest and strongest point guards in the league, Williams is averaging 3.5 rebounds per game and gets to the foul line six times a game.

Players like Russell Westbrook, J.J. Barea and Rajon Rondo gave the Lakers major problems in the past. That stops the minute you add Williams.

When it comes down to it, the Lakers must do everything possible to try and make this happen. Pairing Williams and Bryant takes the Lakers from a mediocre playoff team that has a better shot of losing in the first round than winning a championship, to a championship contender and a favorite to come out of the West.

The potential payoff is too great to pass up.