Brooklyn Nets Busy in the Offseason, but Have They Been Smart?

The Brooklyn Nets have been making noise this offseason, but have they been smart about it?

It has been two years since Mikhail Prokhorov purchased the team and the spending spree is finally underway. For a team that has not gotten much production from its draft picks, the Nets and their cash-flush owner were destined to rebuild through free agency.

With the pieces of a contender falling into place, the Nets have added some serious talent to their roster and some hefty contracts to their ledger.

If Brooklyn's new players can play at an elite level, the spending will have been worth it. Yet the Nets may still be one big piece away from reaching that potential.

Let's take a look at who the Nets have picked up so far and what they will mean for the team going forward.

Deron Williams

This offseason, the Nets focused the lion's share of their efforts on Deron Williams. They were certainly right to do so.

Unlike some other Brooklyn signings, Williams is worth every penny. His five-year, $100 million contract is one of the richest in the game, but Williams is an MVP-caliber player and the cornerstone of the rebuilding effort.

If anything about the Williams signing can be questioned, it is only the outlandishness of the pursuit. Losing Williams to the Dallas Mavericks was not an option; the Nets had to pull out all the stops. So if this will help you lock up a franchise point guard, you have to ignore how silly and excessive it seems; the significant ends justify the ridiculous means.

Without Williams, the Nets would have no base on which to rebuild. The cost of resigning him was never about doing it the smart way or the dumb way; getting a deal done was all that mattered.

Joe Johnson

CBS Sports reports that Joe Johnson made Williams' decision to stay with the Nets easier, but he still comes at a steep price.

What the Nets gave up is not at issue. Johnson is coming off a season in which he averaged 18.8 points per game and shot .454 from the field. To get that kind of player for some expiring contracts and a first-round pick is well worth it.

On the other hand, the Nets will be paying Johnson almost $90 million over the four remaining years of his deal. Johnson does not deserve to be paid on par with Williams and he makes even more per season than his new point guard.

It is ill-advised to pay a fringe All-Star like one of the best players in the league, but if Johnson helped lure a truly great player to Brooklyn, the Nets can ultimately live with his hefty salary.

Gerald Wallace

The Nets may have been throwing money around to entice Williams back to them, but they still gave Gerald Wallace too rich a deal.

Brooklyn has regarded Wallace as a key piece to pair with Williams ever since they acquired the small forward from Portland. However, his influence on Williams does not substantiate a four-year, $40 million deal.

Wallace is a plus defender and a strong rebounder at the wing, but he is just above average on the offensive end. He isn't as well-rounded as Johnson and he'll need to do better than the 13.8 points per game he averaged last season if he wants to play up to his contract.

With Williams and Johnson combining to make more than $40 million per year, the Nets should not have thrown another eight-digit deal at a guy like Wallace. He's a fine player, but his production can be found for less money and his contract could end up limiting the Nets' options in the long run.

If They Get Dwight Howard

Of course, all of Brooklyn's dealing has been worth it if the team can land its ultimate prize: Dwight Howard.

While acquiring Howard would add yet another eight-digit contract to the Nets' roster, he is just too good to pass up. Not only would Brooklyn be getting the best center in the league, but the Nets would also leap into the discussion of the best teams in the league.

Like with any Big Three, depth would be an issue, especially with all the money going to Wallace. But Wallace would also provide Brooklyn with a stronger fourth piece than Miami or New York have. With a high-energy player like Wallace alongside two strong guards and Howard inside, the Nets would have the strongest starting five in the East.

As with Williams, no cost is too great for Brooklyn to acquire Howard. In one fell swoop, the Nets would leave New Jersey in shambles and enter their new home as contenders.

But If They Don't

Unfortunately, the Howard trade talks have been nothing but confusing so far.

The Nets' latest trade offer may be reasonable, but it is hard to tell through all the complexity. ESPN reports that while a trade is "close," it would involve six players agreeing to sign-and-trades and pieces moving between Brooklyn, Orlando, the Clippers, and Cleveland. Or maybe not Cleveland, but Charlotte instead. Also, the Magic are still in talks with both Houston and the Lakers.

In a nutshell, the Howard deal is volatile and can fall apart in any number of ways. If that is the case, the Nets will still have a great player in Williams. However, Brooklyn won't be able to compete for a title with Johnson and Wallace as its second- and third-best players and the amount of money they are due will make it difficult to add more talent around them.

Without Howard, the Nets are still much improved and poised to return to the playoffs next season. Yet the difference between a good Nets team and a great one is one more superstar. If they don't get Howard, it would be hard to justify the contracts Brooklyn handed out in the long term.