NBA Rumors: Kris Humphries and Nets Deal Not Done, but NJ Must Strike Fast

Kris Humphries and the New Jersey Nets are in negotiations, but nothing has been finalized yet, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.

While the Nets seem to be taking things slow and exhausting all other options before committing to Humphries, they must hurry up, as the window to re-sign him will close shortly.

With opening day rapidly approaching, Humphries is not going to want to stand idly by much longer. He is going to want to have at least a little bit of time to get back into the flow of the game. Now that the free-agency pool is even more depleted than it was before, the power forward is going to have options outside of New Jersey.

Humphries enjoyed his best year in the league last season, averaging a double-double of 10 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. He is a strong defender and helps open up the floor for the Nets offense.

The Nets may be reluctant to re-sign Humphries until they figure out what exactly is going on with Dwight Howard, but a resolution to that debacle is not likely to come anytime soon. New Jersey needs to decide if it wants to move forward with or without Humphries, and has to do so quickly or the choice will no longer be theirs.

Having waited this long, it is clear that Humphries would like to return to the Nets. He blossomed in their system and there are still substantial minutes for his taking. Additionally, with a top-tier point guard in Deron Williams to run the show, he will receive even more opportunities on the offensive end.

Humphries is no superstar, but stands out against the wafer-thin layer of talent that remains on the open market. If the Nets do not act now, and get his signature before the season begins, there is a very real possibility he will take his talents elsewhere.

Should Howard be the priority? To a certain extent yes, but re-signing Humphries doesn't handicap the Nets in terms of their pursuit for the star center, as they can still offer one of the most competitive packages in return for his services.

The Nets may not deem themselves done exhausting options, but unless a miracle deal is in the works to acquire another star in Howard or Josh Smith, the time to ink Humphries is now, not later.

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