NBA Rumors: Dwight Howard Won't Make New Jersey Nets Beasts in the East

Dwight Howard or no Dwight Howard, the New Jersey Nets still have a ways to go before they can be considered a legitimate threat to compete for NBA titles out of the Eastern Conference.

As of Monday night, the rumor mill had Howard taking his Superman act one step closer to Gotham City, albeit from across the Hudson River for now. DH12 would presumably become the face of the franchise in perfect time for the big move to Brooklyn next year.

As for championships? Put those off for another year...or five.

Surely, Howard and Deron Williams, the Nets' current point guard, would constitute the best inside-out duo in the East, perhaps even in the NBA, depending on how you feel about Chris Paul and Blake Griffin in Los Angeles.

But two players do not a team make, especially not one with a taskmaster like Avery Johnson at the helm. Both forward positions are already black holes and would continue to be so even with Howard around. The situation at shooting guard isn't much better either, with only Anthony Morrow and rookie MarShon Brooks to pair with D-Will in the backcourt.

Meanwhile, the Nets would have to climb over three separate Big Threes—those of the Heat, the Celtics and the Knicks—and contend with reigning MVP Derrick Rose and the ever-improving Chicago Bulls just to put themselves in position to play for the Larry O'Brien Trophy, much less take one home.

Don't get me wrong, New Jersey would be much-improved with Howard on board. Pairing the best big man in the league with arguably the best point guard in the league would give the Nets a tremendous core around which to build.

And, with superstars being as scarce as they are, GM Billy King will have gotten the hard part of building a title contender out of the way.

Still, with so many other top-flight teams with more playoff experience hanging around the East, the Nets would still have to wait their turn.

How patiently they do so may well determine whether they ever carry a trophy across the Turnpike.

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