NBA Trade Rumors: Does Deron Williams Make The New Jersey Nets a Real Contender?
After failing to acquire Carmelo Anthony from Denver earlier this week, the New Jersey Nets have struck back by trading for Utah Jazz superstar point guard Deron Williams.
Utah will receive Devin Harris, rookie Derrick Favors, the Nets’ first-round pick this year, Golden State's first-round pick next year (via the Nets) and three million dollars in cash, according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard.
Williams has been blamed by many for the resignation of long time Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, both of whom have had their disagreements this season.
For Utah, Williams' departure was becoming an inevitability.
The Jazz made little progress toward a new contract for their franchise player, who can become a free agent at the end of next season.
With little effort on both sides to get a deal done now, the possibility of Williams being traded became more likely each month.
The 26 year-old Williams is having a career year in this his sixth NBA season, averaging a career-high 21.3 points and 9.7 assists per game. Williams was also an all-star each of the last two seasons.
After failing to persuade LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Carmelo Anthony to join the Nets, new billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov was eager to make a splash in the trade market.
Utah's new young point guard is Devin Harris, who was sought by his former team the Dallas Mavericks this week according to sources.
Harris is joined in Utah by the third overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft, Derrick Favors, who is averaging 6.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game this season.
Both players were major parts of the Nets’ proposal to the Denver Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony.
The Nets now have a superstar to carry them into their new Brooklyn home in the 2012-13 season, but as of now, they are not close to being a championship threat.
After a solid rookie season, young center Brook Lopez is having a disappointing season, and without Favors the Nets have a real size problem.
While Williams can score 20ppg, he is not a “take the game over” type of player, so the Nets will need to find more scoring.
Without the two first round picks New Jersey gave up in this Williams deal, free agency is the best, and possibly only, way for them to improve.
Harris and Favors were their two young chips to trade with, and without them, they have little to offer anyone in exchange for another superstar.
Even with Williams the Nets still have a very average roster, and there is much work ahead for the team’s front office to complete before the team is a championship contender.
It’s a good first step in the right direction for New Jersey, but the journey toward the franchise’s first NBA crown will be a lengthy, multi-step process.
