NBA Free Agents 2012: Joe Johnson Is Not Nets' Answer to Keeping Deron Williams

The Brooklyn Nets reported deal to land Joe Johnson should have the exact opposite effect of the one they undoubtedly desired, and that is the re-signing of Deron Williams. 

Let's take a look at the report of the trade before we progress. 

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets that this deal in done in principle:

"

The Nets and Hawks have agreed in principle to complete the Joe Johnson trade, league sources tell Y! Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 2, 2012"

The hindrance to this deal is not the players the Hawks are reported to be giving up: Jordan Williams, Johan Petro, Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow and DeShawn Stevenson.

The Nets have the pieces in place so they will not miss these guys on the court, but what they are going to miss is the cap room that came with them. They gave up a handful of expiring contracts, and in return they are getting a max-level player who is 31 years old. 

Johnson is on the books for four more years. He will make just under $20 million next season, and he will make nearly $25 million in his last season.  

This effectively ends the Nets ability to land any other big-time free agents for the next four years. They will be able to add some decent players via exceptions, but they will not be decent players away from being a championship contender. 

Johnson is a six-time All Star. He is an effective scorer and a decent defender. He and Williams would no doubt combine to make an imposing backcourt, but this isn't a championship caliber backcourt, and that is what it needs to be with the amount of money required to pay these two players.

And this isn't even getting into the fact that Johnson is 31. He will be 35 when this contract expires. His skills are cresting the hill that leads to the inevitable slide of decline. 

Williams is now in a position where he would be re-signing to a team that is going to have no cap flexibility for four years and is not good enough to chase a championship. This is far south of an ideal scenario, and this fact is not likely to be lost on Williams.