NBA Trade Speculation 2011: The 10 Least Likely Destinations for Deron Williams
At the end of next season, New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams will be a free agent. Team owner Mikhail Prokhorov has already stated plans to "bring in stars" in hopes of re-signing Williams. Yet, what if Prokhorov's strategy fails?
Suppose that next season, the Nets aren't able to lure any top free agents and thus have another bad season? Call it a hunch, but Williams probably won't want to stay in New Jersey if that is the case. That being said, chances are he could be traded.
Williams is easily one of the top point guards in the league, with career averages of 17.2 points and 9.2 assists per game. Any team that wants to trade for him will have to pay a heavy price and as evidenced during the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes this past season, both Prokhorov and Nets GM Billy King are hard negotiators. Here are 10 teams that would love to have Williams, but almost definitely won't acquire him in a trade.
No. 10: Memphis Grizzlies
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It's not that the Grizzlies won't have the players necessary to acquire Williams, but definitely will have a hard time coming up with the money.
They just signed forward Zach Randolph to a four-year contract extension worth $71 million and, given that, they will have a hard time re-signing powerful center Marc Gasol (pictured at left). Keep in mind, Williams is slated to make $14.9 million next season.
On top of that, I don't see the Grizzlies in the market for a point guard. Mike Conley, Jr. has done a fine job at that position, so there isn't any reason to acquire Williams.
No. 9: Washington Wizards
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This is an interesting case. The Wizards certainly have the players and money necessary to land Williams, but probably won't pull the trigger if given the opportunity to do so.
The front office is committed to the young core led by guard John Wall and center Javale McGee and will also look to re-sign guard Nick Young this offseason.
Simply put, there just isn't any place to put Williams.
No. 8: Oklahoma City Thunder
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There's only one way to say this. Look at the Thunder's starting five:
Center: Kendrick Perkins
Power forward: Serge Ibaka
Small Forward: Kevin Durant
Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha
Point Guard: Russell Westbrook
Sixth Man: James Harden
Would you mess with that starting lineup? Yeah...I wouldn't either.
No. 7: New Orleans Hornets
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The New Orleans Hornets certainly have an interesting couple of years ahead of them. They're undergoing an ownership change and are on the verge of folding completely.
On top of that, star point guard Chris Paul will be a free agent after next season and the team's money issues will make it virtually impossible for him to stay in New Orleans.
That being said, how could the team afford Williams? Plus, he doesn't seem like he would want to play in a small market like The Big Easy.
As good as the Hornets are, New Orleans is and always will be Saints country. He won't go there by trade or free agency.
No. 6: Denver Nuggets
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The Nuggets certainly have a lot of money to burn what with Carmelo Anthony's contract off the books now, but I still don't see them trading away members of their current squad for Williams.
They have a good young point guard in Ty Lawson and he has a great mentor in veteran Raymond Felton, so there wouldn't be any reason to acquire the All-Star guard unless Lawson had an absolutely terrible season.
Given Lawson's successful sophomore campaign, I'm going to say this is a trade that could happen, but most definitely won't.
No. 5: Chicago Bulls
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Incumbent point guard Derrick Rose was named league MVP and the Bulls are a win away from making the Eastern Conference Finals. Need I say more?
Didn't think so.
No. 4: Atlanta Hawks
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I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record with this. The Atlanta Hawks have the most dangerous starting lineup in the NBA, at least based on all-around talent, and are only a couple of seasons away from a trip to the NBA Finals.
That being said, there is no reason for them to make any significant roster moves.
On top of that, there's no way they have the money. Guard Joe Johnson (pictured at left) signed a six-year, $119 million contract last offseason, forward Josh Smith makes $11.7 million a year and has a couple of years left on his deal, and big man Al Horford will be making $12 million a year starting next season.
Plus, with the way guard Jeff Teague has been performing in the playoffs, he will be due a raise soon.
To acquire Williams would mean giving up a starter and, considering how the starters have performed the past couple of years, the Hawks would not pull the trigger on this deal.
No. 3: Miami Heat
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This road shouldn't even be one that has to be gone down, but Pat Riley's shady front office antics of last offseason require me to do so. Anyway, I'll cut to the chase.
The Heat currently have three players (who shall remain nameless) who make $14.5 million a year. Given the negotiating tactics of Prokhorov and King, one of those three would have to end up in New Jersey in order for Deron Williams to take his talents to South Beach.
Throw that in with the effort Pat Riley put in to make Miami near-invincible, and there's no way this deal happens.
No. 2: Utah Jazz
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The Utah Jazz traded Williams to New Jersey for Devin Harris, and they aren't about to reverse that deal any time soon. Not only will Prokhorov never allow it, but Williams's body language made it pretty clear that he didn't want to play in Utah.
On top of that, he basically drove a Hall-of-Fame coach to resign. Who wants that kind of player on their team? I sure don't.
No. 1: New York Knicks
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It's no secret that the Knicks want either Chris Paul or Deron Williams manning the point guard position. In the latter's case, they might have to wait until he is a free agent.
There is no way in hell that Mikhail Prokhorov will trade Williams for peanuts, let alone to a division rival.
On top of that, knowing Prokhorov, he'll probably try to do what the Nuggets did to the Knicks in the Carmelo Anthony trade: gut the roster for one marquee player. The Knicks' front office already did that once, and there is no way they'll do that again.
If it does happen, though, the rumors will be true. Isiah Thomas will still be pulling the strings and the fans will lose all faith in the franchise.
