Would Deron Williams Be Better Fit with Joe Johnson or Dwight Howard in Brooklyn

We knew the Nets would be making some big moves this summer, but who figured Joe Johnson would be part of them?

Micael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets are all set on a deal that would move Johnson and his massive contract out of town in exchange for future cap flexibility:

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The Hawks and Nets have agreed to terms on a trade that would send All-Star guard Joe Johnson to Brooklyn for multiple players with expiring contracts and a first-round draft pick, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

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Though expiring deals are believed to include Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, Johan Petro, DeShawn Stevenson and Jordan Williams. 

The Hawks aren't looking to immediately upgrade their roster. They're just looking to clear some cap space so that the otherwise young core can add some support in the next couple of years.

The Nets, meanwhile, don't want to part with any valuable assets, so they're looking to send a number of spare contracts Atlanta's way.

So, the good news for Deron Williams is that he'd have some all-star help if indeed decides on a return to Brooklyn.

The bad news is that help probably won't be named Dwight Howard, according to David Aldridge:

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Despite Dwight Howard's desire to go to Brooklyn, there's currently no Nets deal that interests Orlando, according to source. Story up soon.

— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 2, 2012"

Sure, playing with Johnson will have its benefits.

Williams will finally have someone with whom he can share play-making responsibilities down the stretch. He's been a one-man show during his stint in Brooklyn thus far, and—while he's an excellent defensive presence and complementary scorer—Gerald Wallace isn't a go-to guy.

Johnson would take some of the defensive attention away from Williams, and he'd give the team another guy who can spot-up, break down defenders or even score some baskets in the post.

That said, this deal doesn't even begin to compare to what Howard would mean for Brooklyn.

The hulking center is a game-changer, a guy who single-handedly gives his team a dominant advantage in the paint on both ends of the floor.

Even if Williams and Johnson discover a perfect chemistry with one another, Howard is still the one guy who would instantly turn this team into a contender. He would mean so much to the club, that how he fits with Williams wouldn't really matter that much.

Johnson will help, but it may only be enough to get the Nets to the second round of the playoffs—the same place the Hawks' postseason hopes ended in three of its last four runs.

Howard would undoubtedly raise the Nets' ceiling a bit higher than that.