NBA Trade Rumors: Why Dwight Howard and the New Jersey Nets Are a Perfect Fit

Dwight Howard could turn the Nets into an NBA force. This is a perfect match.

The sky would be the limit on and off the court for both the Nets and Howard should the prize of the 2012 free-agent class end up with the Nets.

Deron Williams

If the Nets land Dwight Howard, their chances of signing Williams, whose contract is up at the end of the season, are excellent. Also, Howard likely wouldn't sign here if Williams was not prepared to commit long term.

So let's work on the assumption that these two would be together—it would be an amazing pairing. The two compliment each other fantastically.

Howard has a very limited low post game. He has improved, but the majority of his points come when he can turn and dunk, or put the ball back off of rebounds.

Williams is excellent at penetrating into the lane. This would cause big men to slide over and leave Howard open for easy looks. It would also leave him free to pursue offensive rebounds.

On the other side of the ball, Williams wouldn't have to worry about getting torched by the smaller, quicker point guards. He could play up on them to eliminate their outside shot while secure in the knowledge that Howard is behind him to swat away feeble attacks on the rim.

Outside Shooting

Last season, the Nets had three players, with 250 attempts or more, who shot at least 36 percent from three-point land. 

Those numbers, and opportunities, would only improve with Howard. Dwight demands presence in the key. Despite his lack of low post moves, his sheer power is worthy of a double team. This would free up perimeter players for open looks.

With Dwight Howard under the rim, these players also wouldn't have to hesitate to throw up long-range shots. They know that Howard will be there to clean it up should they miss.

Unique Opportunity

Joining the Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets offers Howard a very unique opportunity. He and Williams could build a potential dynasty in a huge market for a team that has found very little success.

This would leave Howard free to carve out his own identity and be the unquestioned face of the franchise. Howard would be an absolute hero to a fanbase he could help build into a force. That is a legacy he would not have access to with other teams.

The Market

This goes hand-in-hand with the last one. The Nets enjoy exposure to the huge market. With the success and hype that would come with this move, Howard would be hard pressed to go any place where he would have more exposure.

Dwight always handles himself with class. The Nets would be lucky to have him as the face of their franchise. Howard would have his choice of endorsements, movie roles, TV appearances and anything else he wanted to do.