The Brooklyn Nets are serious about trading one of their big stars at the trade deadline. ESPN's Marc Stein reported have surfaced that Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson are all on the blocks as the Nets aim to lower their salary cap commitments. Very few teams are showing interest in any of the Brooklyn players, but with Rajon Rondo officially off the market, Williams is now getting a few serious looks.
According to ESPNNewYork.com, the Nets and the Sacramento Kings are discussing a trade for Williams, but no deal is imminent with the deadline still over a month away. The Kings have been aiming to get a point guard for a while now having set their sights on Rondo, but he was just traded to the Dallas Mavericks, so Williams is up next. Yahoo! Sports reports Sacramento is offering Darren Collison, Derrick Williams and Jason Thompson for the point guard.
The issue in trading Williams is the contract and injuries. The point guard is owed $63.1 million over the next three seasons. He also has missed a number of games thinks to troublesome ankles that just cannot get healthy. Sacramento must be certain that it is worth acquiring that contract for a point guard who is now 30-years-old and shooting just 37.1 percent from the field while the Nets sit at 6-13 in that stretch of time.
Lopez could be the easier player to trade out of the three for the Nets. The center is coming off a season where he did not play due to a foot injury, but his contract is manageable considering he has a player option for next season that he is expected to opt out of. Any team in need of a talented big man to help with a playoff push would be wise to eye Lopez. The Nets will get desperate to move him knowing he will opt out of his contract.
There are other point guards available cheaper than Williams. Brandon Jennings is available. Goran Dragic could be an option. Williams' contract makes him tough to move and right now the only team showing serious interest is the Kings.
