NBA Trade Rumors: Josh Smith to NJ Nets is Just What Deron Williams Needs

Could Josh Smith's arrival be enough for Deron Williams to stay with the New Jersey Nets?

Prior to the 2011 draft, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that the Atlanta Hawks were "gauging interest" in Smith around the league, and the versatile forward went as far as to identify four different destinations as his preferred landing spots should he be dealt:

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Smith hasn’t requested a trade, but has privately told league friends that the Boston Celtics, New Jersey Nets, Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic are his preferred destinations should the Hawks decide to move him.

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While the Celtics have already expressed no interest in acquiring his services and the Rockets don't seem likely to add him after drafting both Marcus Morris and Donatas Motiejunas in the first round, there's no question that the Nets could really use him on the front line alongside Brook Lopez.

Smith is signed through the 2012-13 season for about $25 million, and while that might seem like a tidy sum, it's really not all that sizable of an investment considering the short length of the deal.

The uber-athletic forward will be just 26 years old when the 2011-12 season gets underway, and with last season's starting power forward Kris Humphries headed for free agency, the team would be wise to explore all of its options before even entertaining the thought of committing a long-term deal to Humphries.

Despite standing a legitimate 7'0", Lopez really struggled on the glass last season, averaging just six rebounds per game. Although he did manage to average 1.5 blocked shots per contest, there's no question Lopez needs some help to control the battle beneath the bucket going forward.

Smith pulled down an impressive 8.5 boards per game last season despite playing alongside Al Horford, and it's the second straight season that Smith managed to average more than eight rebounds.

Additionally, Smoove doesn't get enough appreciation for what he does at the defensive end of the floor. He averaged 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game last year, and a pairing of Smith and Lopez would make things awfully difficult for the opposition around the rim.

Most importantly, Smith's presence on the roster would provide a legitimate reason for D-Will to consider his long-term future with the Nets, as the style of game play the two could enjoy together would be something really special.

The club has perimeter help on the roster already in rookie Marshon Brooks and three-point specialist Anthony Morrow on the roster, and a three-headed monster of Williams, Smith and Lopez could pay huge dividends for the club in the not so distant future.

Williams thrived when suiting up for New Jersey last season, and if he's given an athletic running mate like Smith to work with, there's no telling what type of possibilities are in store for the Nets, as the team can only go in one direction: up.

Smith would give Williams a weapon unlike one he's had at any point in his career—and that could be enough for the elite point guard to give serious consideration to the Nets as his team of choice.

If the Smith move is a precursor to an even bigger deal, the Nets could be getting talked about with far more regularity than anyone is willing to do now.

This is a club looking to move to Brooklyn in 2012 and into the Barclays Arena with an emphatic bang rather than a quiet whimper, and it would be a rather large surprise if the Nets didn't pull off a serious deal to achieve exactly that.