NBA Rumors: Joe Johnson Trade Should Send Deron Williams to the Dallas Mavericks

If Deron Williams wants to win right away he should go to the Dallas Mavericks instead of re-signing with the Brooklyn Nets.

His current team just mortgaged their future for Joe Johnson and his astronomically bad contract. They dealt five expiring contracts for one 31-year old wing who averaged less than 19 points a game last year and will be making around $20 million a year for the next five seasons.

That's about one-third of Brooklyn's cap space for the next half-decade.

By dealing most (not all, they still have Marshon Brooks and a 2013 first-round pick) of their tradable assets and absorbing Johnson's salary, Brooklyn pretty much took themselves out of the immediate running for Dwight Howard.

So, why would Deron Williams re-sign with the Nets now? Your guess is as good as mine.

If the chase is really down to just the Nets and Mavericks, it makes little sense for Williams not to head to Dallas.

The Mavericks won the championship in 2011, have Dirk Nowitzki on their roster and cap space to sign other solid players even after adding Deron Williams.

Dallas could still make a decent offer to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard after signing Williams as well. If Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson managed to pull off that coup even LeBron James and the Miami Heat would have to worry.

Andy Bailey is on Twitter: Follow @ AndrewDBailey