NBA Rumors: Dwight Howard and 10 Players To Team Up With Deron Williams in NJ
Much to the surprise of many NBA analysts, Deron Williams was traded to the New Jersey Nets. Now that he will be in NJ until at least the end of next year, it's time to start speculating as to who can possibly join him.
The team is moving to Brooklyn, and they hope to take a competitive team that can make a run at a championship right away.
Recently, stories have surfaced that Williams and Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov have spoken about the future of the team and what pieces the Nets need to go out and get in order to keep Williams happy and the team in contention.
These are the players that New Jersey can go out and get in order to make the team a title contender within the next five years.
10. Tyson Chandler
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Chandler is an unrestricted free agent after this year and is having one of, if not the best season of his career. The high-flying center would be a great complement to Williams, who likes to distribute and get guys the ball close to the basket.
The Nets would have to move Lopez for a swingman in this scenario, but Chandler would look great on the receiving end of alley oops.
Don't foget Chandler's great shot-blocking ability and rebounding tenacity as well.
9. Jason Richardson
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Richardson is another unrestricted free agent that can score with the best of them in the league. The one knock on the veteran is that he does not have a history of being on winning teams and is more of a piece than a star.
The Nets have lacked scoring punch over the last few seasons and could use a solid shooter who can get to the hoop and has a nose for finding the open spots on the court.
8. Roy Hibbert
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Roy Hibbert has become one of the more athletic center in the league. He has lost weight and taken on a much bigger responsibility for the Pacers this season. The Pacers are high on him, though he is a restricted free agent in 2012.
It will be more difficult to acquire him based on how much he means to the Pacers and the uncertainty of the new CBA.
7. Zach Randolph
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Randolph is an unrestricted free agent this summer. He is an interesting player because we have seen the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows with the veteran. He is currently playing at an extremely high level for the Grizzlies and is expected to cash in this offseason.
With Williams, Randolph will play with the best point guard he has ever played with, potentially elevating his game even higher.
6. Nene Hilario
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Hilario can opt out from his contract with the Nuggets this summer, and if he does, there are many teams that will vie for his services. He is a tough inside presence that is young enough to be considered for an upper echelon contract.
The Nuggets want to keep him as they move forward past the Melo era, making his union with Williams merely speculative at this point.
The Nets need to get meaner in the middle, and they have the money to get the enforcer to guard that fancy new painted area in Brooklyn.
5. David West
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West is a former All-Star and a talented scorer. If West opts out of his current deal and becomes a free agent, the Nets could sign Chris Paul's buddy away from New Orleans and make Williams happy.
4. Danny Granger
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Granger and the Pacers seem to growing apart each and every day. His scoring is down, as other players have become more involved in the offense. The Nets tried to acquire Granger right before the draft, though the talks seemed to stay in the preliminary stages.
Since Vince Carter left two years ago, the Nets have not had a legitimate wing-scoring threat. Granger can slash, score and compete with some of the league's best. He would be another big name to put besides Williams as the team transitions to Brooklyn.
The biggest knock on this scenario is that NJ would have to trade for Granger. Unloading their best assets for Williams, the Pacers would have to accept less value than they are giving away in any trade.
3. Kevin Love
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Kevin Love would be a dream. The Nets would never have to worry about another rebound again. Love hits the market as a restricted free agent in 2012. It is wishful thinking to imagine a team with Williams and Love, but a man can dream.
The T-Wolves will throw the kitchen sink at Love, who appears to be the kind of guy that wants to stay and see things through until they get better.
2. Andrew Bynum
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What to say about Andrew Bynum. The Lakers have a player option in 2012 (which we assume they will pick up), but let's conspiracy theorize.
1. He is from New Jersey, an advantage for the Nets, and has been frustrating the Lakers for quite some time now.
2. There have been Bynum rumors since he came into the league, making his status as a Laker far from stable.
3. If the Lakers make a play for Howard, they will not have the room to keep all of their players. He will most definitely be a casualty of roster changes.
4. He is very young and still getting better. Williams would probably love to play with a guy like him.
...So there you go, the key to landing Andrew Bynum. Now back to the real world.
1. Dwight Howard
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This is a LeBron James-sized free agent. Dwight Howard can opt out of his contract in 2012, and in the post-"Decision" era, teams are no longer taking risks when it comes to their stars. Mikhail Prokhorov has sat down with Williams and discussed the future of the team, with Howard's name coming up as the big fish to land.
It is not the money or the move to Brooklyn that will land Howard. It is about winning. Williams was the first step in this culture change, and in order to convince Howard to leave Orlando, and ignore 28 other NBA teams, there needs to be more.
That being said, if the Nets can sign Dwight Howard, the best center in the NBA, and rebounding extraordinaire, Williams will undoubtedly stay and instantly make the Nets one of the best teams in the league.
This is the story referencing the Net's interests in Howard:
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