NBA Trade Rumors: Deron Williams Must Be Traded by New Jersey Nets
Deron Williams will not sign an extension with the New Jersey Nets during the season, according to ESPN, and because of this, the New Jersey Nets would be foolish not to trade him before next summer.
Williams can earn about $30 million more by opting out in the summer and either re-signing with the Nets or finding a new team than he could signing a new deal during this season.
With this is mind, it's really no surprise that Williams went this route.
The Nets don't look like an NBA Finals contender anytime soon, regardless if they have money to spend in free agency. There's no guarantee they will land Dwight Howard or re-sign key players such as Kris Humphries.
New Jersey cannot afford to let Williams walk in free agency, which would put them in rebuilding mode again. That is not something the fans will accept since the franchise has been average for many years now since their NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.
The Nets must trade Williams, and there are teams out there who could use a superstar point guard. The Boston Celtics have tried to land Chris Paul in a deal involving Rajon Rondo, so it appears they are willing to upgrade at point guard.
The Celtics don't have a ton of young talent, but Rondo is a fantastic young point guard who has four more years on his deal at $46 million, which in today's NBA, is pretty cheap.
New Jersey does not have many championship pieces around Williams, and without a dominant big man or center like Howard, Williams was probably going to walk in free agency anyway.
The team must trade Williams to build a roster of proven young talent that will attract marque free agents next summer.
There are many top players who will be free agents after this season, and with some really good young talent, the Nets will look like a good place to sign, especially with a new arena soon opening.
Unless the Nets can land Dwight Howard in a trade before the season or during it, Williams could walk in free agency and devastate the Nets for years to come unless they trade him.
