Since we're nearing the end of the Nets' season, I figured it'd be the right time to take a look back and reminisce on what was a great season.  Despite a slow start (and slower finish), the Nets were able to acquire arguably the league's best point-guard and have much to look forward to with Barclays Center's completion ahead of schedule and the promise of luring Dwight Howard looming in the near future. 

The Nets opened the season strong with a 2-0 start; there were many who believed that Nets would make the playoffs this season and the fast start only ignited the fire.  The fire was quickly put out though, as the Nets lost their next five games and never saw .500 again.  The team struggled amidst trade rumors surrounding one of the NBA's best scorers, Carmelo Anthony, the team's young and promising power-forward, Derrick Favors, and their disgruntled point-guard, Devin Harris.  Despite the copious number of rumors centered on the likely acquisition of Carmelo Anthony by the Nets -- with two separate trades being deemed as a "done-deal" twice -- it never came to fruition.  Anthony joined the Nets' cross-river rivals, your New York Knickerbockers.  All was not lost though, as Nets GM Billy King was able to swing a deal for the Jazz's Deron Williams for what was less than what the Nets were reportedly giving up for Carmelo Anthony.  Nets fans were ecstatic, the future looked bright and all signs pointed towards Deron Williams remaining with the team past the conclusion of his deal.  The Nets played out the remainder of season, in hopes that the following one would be drastically different as Williams would be able to attract impact players to join him bring the Nets into Brooklyn.

All in all, it was a great season: The Nets had traded for the league's best point guard, Kris Humphries showed marginal improvement and is likely to remain with the team, Brook Lopez overcame his early struggles to finish the season on a relatively strong note, Nets fans were given the privilege of watching Travis Outlaw and Johan Petro on a nightly basis, but most importantly we were graced by Stephen Graham's presence.  All that needs to be known about Mr. Stephen Graham can be seen in his nickname -- GrahaMVP.  The decision to anoint Graham as the team's MVP for the 2010-2011 season was unanimous amongst Nets fans.  We all know that we were lucky to even take part in the pure awesomeness that is -- Stephen Graham.

From his clutch-shooting:

via www.nba.com

To his renowned defense: 

via www.nypost.com

To his relentless penetration:

via www.thirdage.com

To his mentorship of the team's young players:

via cdn.bleacherreport.net

There's no doubt that Graham was the Nets' most valuable player.  Not only did he produce at an elite level on the court, but he also provided the leadership and hard-working mentality inside the locker-room that coach Avery Johnson believed he could bring when he made the controversial decision to take his talents to Newark.  It's just a shame that the Nets won't be able to bring him back next season; Graham is a free-agent this offseason (apparently, the Nets have a team-option, but that's not as fun) and with the pool as thin as it is, it's likely that he'll command a near max-salary.  The Nets just can't afford to retain him when they have another star at his position in Travis Outlaw.

Let's just take a look at Graham's numbers to put into perspective how good of a season he had:

PPG - 3.2

APG - 0.7

RPG -  2.1

BPG - 0.0

SPG - 0.2

eFG% - 0.408

PER - 4.19

VA - (-87.3)

WS/48 - (-0.017)

AND-1's - 576

Amazing.  To think that he was able to give the team 576 AND-1's in one season is just mind-boggling.  We'll miss you Stephen Graham and we'll always remember that we...

via cache.daylife.com

... Were all witnesses.

They say there's nothing like family; I tend to agree.  What if I told you that the Nets could team two of the past decade's best scorers together?  What if I told you that these two players would bring entertainment back to the Nets basketball?  What if I told you that they were near the end of their careers and could be signed for one-year deals? What if I told you that these two players just happened to be cousins?  That's right, I'm talking about the Nets bringing back Vince Carter and (re)pairing him with his third-cousin, Tracy McGrady.

I know what you're thinking: how do you expect to keep Deron Williams around by bringing in two washed-up scorers? I don't.  I'm not advocating that the Nets only add Carter and McGrady, but I do believe that the Nets would benefit in many ways from the addition of these two former stars.

Let's face it -- the free-agent pool this off-season is pretty thin.  There are several candidates to become "Outlawed" (props to Simmons for that one) and the Nets don't want to make the same mistake twice.  The Nets really need to investigate the possibility of acquiring Howard; they have to use their new communication device (Deron Williams) to weigh Dwight's interest in joining Brooklyn's newest franchise.  They have to begin to formulate a plan for the future -- which obviously involves retaining Deron Williams -- but that can't include overpaying the likes of Wilson Chandler or Thaddeus Young.  

The Nets should resign Kris Humphries, retain Brandan Wright on the cheap, attempt to move either Farmar or Petro's contract (or both), look to buy a couple of first-round picks and remain flexible for the 2012 free-agent pool. We saw what happened to the Detroit Pistons when they blew their load early; the Nets can't make the same mistake. Prudence is a virtue, one that King has to display.

Sure the Nets wouldn't be a championship-contender, but they'd definitely be a playoff-team.  They'd certainly provide adequate entertainment and fill the seats.  All while leaving the Nets flexible enough to add multiple pieces from 2012's intriguing free-agent pool as they move into Brooklyn.

Obviously, Carter and McGrady don't represent the future, they're just bridging the gap.  For now, the Nets need a temporary fix; it's a risk (just like trading for Williams), but one that they need to take.

Just saying.

I've been working on this for the past week when I've been bored in class so if it seems slightly disconnected then I apologize in advance.  It's extremely long for no apparent reason, so if you don't want to read through the whole thing then just skip down to the part that's entitled "the important part" (specifically the bolded portion).  Remember that this is completely hypothetical, I'm aware that it's not productive to think about this scenario because what's done is done.  I think it's an interesting subject, though.

On a rainy evening last May, many of us watched angrily as another player with the potential to lead the franchise toward success was torn from the Nets' grasp.  Many of the younger fans of the Nets -- including myself -- were (or are) oblivious to the origin of the rivalry with the Knicks; the tale of the Knickerbockers essentially forcing the Nets to trade away their star player because they were "invading" their territory often falls upon deaf ears.  This time it wasn't Julius Erving that was being stripped from a franchise that always seems to draw bad luck, instead it was John Wall in the form of the number one overall draft-pick.

It only seemed fitting that the Nets would be rewarded for their dreadful 12-win season with a player who could potentially turn around the franchise as fast as he sprints in the open-floor.  All the pieces were in place for the young player who oozed with star potential to be the face of the team as the Nets planned for their move to a city that knows a little something about star-power.  Instead, as usual, the Nets weren't graced with any luck; the Wizards were awarded with the first pick and Mikhail Prokhorov stood uncomfortably as Irene Pollin's -- wife of the late Wizards owner Abe Pollin -- jaw nearly hit the floor in astonishment.  Nets fans wish they could say that they were surprised, but they weren't; long ago, they learned that -- similar to the Mets -- luck didn't exist for them.

The Nets were given the third-pick in the 2010 draft in what appeared to be a pool with two top-tier players (Wall and Evan Turner) and a group of players who were either projects or had some off-the-court concerns.  Nets fans had just endured a putrid season in which the Nets were close to breaking the all-time record for losses in a season; after being given the third-pick the only thing that fans could really hang their hat on was Prokhorov's promise to turn this troubled franchise into a perennial championship contender.  The billionaire owner proclaimed, "sometimes luck makes all the difference, but it never comes down to one player."  Many thought it ironic that Prokhorov could make such a statement because he would soon be investing a large portion of energy attempting to bring one player -- LeBron James -- to the Nets in order to follow-through on his promise to capture a championship.  He went on to attempt to convince fans -- and possibly even himself -- that the Nets were still on the right path, "I'm sure we're going to get a great player.  For our team, the only way is up."  

A lot transpired between that night in Secaucus and the draft; the Nets hired Avery Johnson -- a coach with championship-experience both as a player and a coach -- to bring them towards the promise land and signs pointed towards the eventual resignation (or non re-signing) of Rod Thorn as the Nets' President.  The Nets pegged three players as potential selections with their pick, but only one really made sense -- Derrick Favors.  Although the nineteen-year-old Favors was considered to be a project, he had the potential to be a top-tier player at his position, a void that the Nets hadn't filled since Kenyon Martin left the team in 2004 -- Favors would be the Nets' power-forward for the foreseeable future and form a destructive duo next to the very promising Brook Lopez.  As expected, on June 24th the Nets selected Derrick Favors with the third overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft.

The Nets now had two pieces of their front-court in place and looked to fill the third with arguably the best player in the NBA.  Headed by Mikhail Prohorov and Jay-Z, the Nets set out to recruit LeBron James in an attempt to swing the team from the worst in the NBA to one of the best.  Despite having the most impressive presentation, the Nets were unable to court The King because he already had his mind set on taking his talents to South Beach to join Dwyane Wade and the third-wheel (Chris Bosh).  The Nets had been so distracted by their pursuit of "His Talents" that they may have missed out on some other viable options as Rudy Gay resigned with the Grizzles, Carlos Boozer joined Rose in Chicago and Amare Stoudemire joined the Knicks after inking a brand new uninsured 100-million-dollar contract.  As a parting gift, Thorn signed Travis Outlaw to a very questionable five-year, thirty-five million dollar deal, as well as backup point-guard Jordan Farmar, sharpshooter Anthony Morrow and bench player (he doesn't get a title) Johan Petro.  

The Nets' off-season appeared to be a very large disappointment as Rod Thorn headed to the division-rival Sixers. The Nets hired Billy King (the former Sixers GM) to take over Thorn's role, who made his first big move in a four-team-trade which brought the Nets Troy Murphy for Courtney Lee.  Murphy, who was in the last year of his contract, would serve as a starter -- and potential mentorer -- in front of Favors as the Nets looked to make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.

As the pre-season came to an end rumors started to swirl around the Nets as they looked to obtain a star-player -- Carmelo Anthony.  These rumors continued throughout the the first-half of the season, as the Nets found themselves struggling.  The price-tag for Anthony seemed to be unreasonable as the Nuggets continued to demand more and more despite being in a relatively powerless position.  As the Nets continued to struggle because of a combination of untimely injuries, overwhelming trade rumors and lack of talent, Mikhail Prokhorov decided to put a stop to the "Melo-drama."  

In one of his rare trips to the States, Prokhorov held a surprise press conference announcing that the Nets were pulling out of the Melo-sweepstakes "for good."  Many theorized that the owner's decision to publicly announce his desire to end the pursuit of Anthony was a bargaining maneuver in an attempt to regain power in the negotiations with the Denver Nuggets.  

It seemed curious that he wasn't willing to elaborate on his decision and the conspiracy theories proved to be correct; during the NBA's All-Star weekend -- a mere week before the trade deadline -- rumors surfaced that the Nets had plans to meet with Carmelo in an attempt to convince him to sign an extension with the team.  That meeting did in fact take place, but Melo didn't appear to be convinced -- he still had his sights set on the Knicks.  Three days later, he was promptly traded to the Knicks in a deal that forced New York to give up three starters, two draft picks and a young center.  

It appeared as if the Nets had once again failed in their pursuit of a star player, as the deadline neared Billy King proclaimed that the team would be relatively quiet in terms of making trades.  Not only was the Nets' season a struggle, a team that once looked to have a great future appeared to be headed nowhere.  Then, out of nowhere, the Nets franchise was jump-started by a brilliant, but risky, move made by Billy King.  The Nets had traded their disgruntled point-guard, Devin Harris, Derrick Favors and two first-round picks for arguably the best point-guard in the NBA.  King had managed to acquire Deron Williams for less than the Nets had been rumored to be giving up for Carmelo Anthony; somehow the team had acquired a better player for a cheaper price.  

Nets fans quickly transformed from depressed to ecstatic, it was Jason Kidd all over again.  However, with only one guaranteed year remaining on Williams' contract, fans worried if he would choose to resign with a team that had struggled mightily in the recent past.  Williams said all the right things at the press conference as he appeared to be relatively excited for the team's future -- even throwing in a couple indirect jabs about pursuing free-agent to be Dwight Howard -- but the majority of NBA fans were left unconvinced.  

Sure the team was set to play in the one of the NBA's best markets in the world's first billion-dollar arena; sure they had the richest owner in all of sports who looked to expand the team into a "global-brand;" sure Jay-Z -- one of the biggest hip-hop moguls in history -- was on board; sure they had the cap-space to add a max-player (Dwight Howard); sure there were some promising players on the roster, but why would Williams stay?  These are the Nets we're talking about.  Only time would tell, but many believed that once Williams' contract was up he would likely bolt to join a team that was ready to compete for a championship.

** The Important Part **

The Nets ended up with the NBA's best point-guard without having to give up too much, but things could have turned out very differently if they had won the lottery back in May and were able to select John Wall.  They would have been able to package Devin Harris with draft-picks in order to obtain an all-star level wing-scorer (Granger or Iguodala come to mind).  They may have been able to lure one of the impact free-agents for a cheaper price in order to leave room to add other important pieces.  It's more than likely that the Nets wouldn't have ended up signing Travis Outlaw to his putrid contract.  They also wouldn't have given relatively valuable pieces, such as Yi Jianlian and Chris Douglas-Roberts, away for free in an attempt to clear cap-space.  The construction of the team could have been significantly different if the Nets had won the lottery.

So, I pose the question: Knowing everything that we know -- the possibility that Williams could opt out of his deal, the realistic premise that the Nets wouldn't have decided to sign Outlaw to such an egregious contract, the endless trade scenarios that would have been available to Billy King involving some of the team's young and talented players -- if you could go back in time and rig the lottery machine properly (Stern wanted the Nets to get Wall, but his technician didn't effectively engineer the device) in order for the Nets to get the first pick would you do it?  That's assuming that everything would transpire as it has if you chose not to.  

Personally, I would.  Although I think that it is more than likely that Deron Williams will remain with the Nets (possibly more because of the CBA and less because he's able to transform the team into a championship contender), I'm not too confident about the prospect of getting Dwight Howard.  Without Howard, I don't see how the Nets will ever be on a championship-level.  

I believe that the Nets would have been better off if they had gotten Wall; as I stated above there were so many viable trade scenarios that would have bolstered the roster around Wall and Lopez.  The Nets would never have to be held hostage by Outlaw and Petro's combined contracts and the team would be significantly more complete than it is currently.  

Although, Wall has struggled with a few injuries this year he still has the potential to be a top-five point-guard in this league.  He's been overshadowed by Griffin this season, despite posting some very favorable numbers for a rookie point-guard on a very poor Wizards team.  His shooting percentage is pretty low for a player of his caliber, but his assist numbers are extremely impressive.  He definitely has the talent and personality to be a star in the NBA, only time will tell.

I wish I could present a more detailed plan -- involving exact salaries (or potential salaries) and statistical breakdowns -- but I have to study for two mid-terms and write a paper so this is all I could come up with:

Limit Brandan Wright's playing-time in order to keep his price as low as possible then retain him. He can be the team's backup power-forward (with the potential to actually become a good starter) for the next six years. Boom -- that's done.

Buy a late first-round pick and package it with either Petro or Farmar in a deal to create more cap-space. It's very unlikely, but if Outlaw finishes out the season playing at least average basketball it would behoove the Nets to package him with assets (possibly two first-round picks) to create space. As I said, that's doubtful, though. 

Going under the assumption that the Nets move either Petro or Famar (because they weren't able to find any takers for Outlaw) they should look to draft a replacement player at their position for depth.

Try to keep Kris Humphries, but if the price gets past 7.5 mil a season then the Nets have to let him walk. Believe it or not, I think Kim's better half can be the starting power-forward for this team in the future; remember he's only 26 and this is the first season in his career he's been given consistent playing-time after only playing one season in college. He still has room to grow and he has the athleticism and NBA body necessary to be a good player. He'll never be elite, but you don't need to have an elite player at every position in order to compete.

Then the Nets need to channel their inner Theo Epstein and hire a private investigator to follow Earl Smith around for a few weeks; make sure he's not engaging in any over the top behavior and then have a sit down with some of the head Bloodz in Newark. Prokhorov needs to explain to them that he'd appreciate if they don't engage Earl in any abhorrent behavior and that there will be a financial payoff if they comply. After that's done King and Prokhorov have to sit down with Avery and convince him that Smith is worth adding; he wants to win and although his personality might not fit Avery's mold their goal remains the same. Sign Mr. Smith to a reasonable deal -- I'm not sure what the market-value for him will be -- that will leave the Nets with flexibility.

The Nets are going to sign Andre "I look like a serial killer and somebody should really cut my hair because children watch the NBA too" Kirilenko -- it's a forgone conclusion -- they just have to make sure that the deal isn't too long and that the salary is reasonable.

Going into next season:

Williams/Farmar (or draft pick)/Gaines or Uzoh
Smith/Morrow/second-round pick
Ted Bundy/James/Outlaw
Humphries/Wright/Outlaw
Lopez/Petro (or draft pick)/Undrafted FA

Depending on how the Magic fare in the playoffs, the Nets should look to inquire about Howard's availability. The answer will most likely be Otis Smith hanging up and crying in his office for the next hour because he's slowly coming to accept that next season will be Dwight's last in Orlando. If he calls back, then tell him that if he wants to deal it has to done quick because they can't allow rumors to surface and ruin team chemistry. If not, then go into the season with the current team and look to get into the playoffs and possibly make a push for the second-round.

The team that I suggested does not put the Nets at a championship-level, but it leaves them with the flexibility necessary to either trade for Howard, sign him as a free-agent or execute a trade which brings in salary.  I think the Nets should focus on reaching their goal, which is not to be a contender, but to win a championship.  Signing Z-Bo or West won't get them there and could prove to inhibit their ability to reach their goal. Thoughts?

A fellow Nets fan told me about a friend (non-Nets fan) who asked him to put himself in King's position, if Pat Riley and Micky Arison called him and offered LeBron James for Brook Lopez and Deron Williams (remember, this is completely hypothetical) would he accept or decline?  Obviously, there are two ways to look at this and I think the more intriguing one is in a vacuum.  Let's pretend that the Nets didn't have to worry about signing Williams to an extension and that Brook Lopez's contract is not in its last year -- as it will be next year -- let's also assume that a Williams & Lopez for LeBron swap would work financially.  This means that the Nets are not facing the risk of DWill leaving them empty-handed, he's locked down for the next five seasons and you still have the prospect of creating a package around Brook to trade for Dwight -- obviously, the best-case is to just acquire Dwight in free-agency and that's still possible so keep that in mind when answering -- which would result in the Nets having arguably the best point-guard and center in the league.  There are a lot of factors to consider in this hypothetical situation, as I said I think it's a more intriguing proposition if the contract of Williams and Lopez aren't factored in, but if you feel uncomfortable operating under that assumption then feel free to break it down with Deron's contract up in the air.

So -- what would you do?  You're Billy King, you hear you phone vibrating and you look up and see Pat Riley's name; you pick up and Riley -- sounding a bit frustrated and uneasy -- asks about the prospect of trading LeBron James for Brook and Deron.  What do you say?  Do you take the best player in the NBA while giving away arguably the NBA's best point-guard and a young, promising center?  Or are you more comfortable keeping Deron around, possibly swinging Lopez around for Howard or just adding Dwight in free-agency?

I say "yes" as soon I can process the Riley's proposition and offer to call the league office to submit the deal. LeBron James is undoubtably the best player in the NBA and he's still only 26.  It hurts to trade Deron, but we're talking about LeBron here.  Then you can almost guarantee that Dwight will opt to sign with the Nets in 2012 with the team still having room to sign some key role-players.  You open up Barclays with a team centered around LeBron and Dwight and you have a dynasty for the next six-to-eight seasons.

I think it's a really interesting question, but to me the answer is easy.  Try to remain objective in your thought-process, even if you hate LeBron you should know how dominant of a player he is, don't let your emotions cloud your judgement.

Let me preface this by saying that Outlaw was the player of the game today.  If you looked at the box-score you'd argue that Lopez is the clear-cut choice, but Outlaw showed up in the last two overtimes and came up with clutch deflections, hustle plays, shots, free throws, tough rebounds and surprisingly tenacious defense.  I was extremely impressed by his performance down the stretch today; he has the talent to play at that level it's just a matter of him getting his head in the game and harnessing his ability.  Let's not forget that he's a very long 6'9 (pause) with some pretty good athleticism and the potential to be a very good defender.

Having said that (Curb fans), Outlaw's performance this season has been abysmal.  That would be a lot more forgivable if the Nets weren't held hostage by his contract.  There are some who will claim that his contract really isn't THAT bad; often arguing that it's essentially a Mid-Level Exception (MLE) which shouldn't be the focus of future plans.  Point taken, but Outlaw's contract significantly affects the Nets' ability to add key pieces this off-season before they position themselves to go after the big-fish -- Dwight Howard.  That contract could be the difference between being able to add a player like David West and having to remain conservative and pursue players of lesser ability.

Obviously it should be noted that Outlaw is still a surprisingly young twenty-five with the potential to improve.  He has the tools necessary to be productive in this league he just needs to improve his basketball IQ and develop a consistent jump-shot.

Outlaw's 2010-2011 Numbers - PER: 8.60, eFG%: 43.1, WS/48: 0.017, VA: -51.9

To put that in perspective, the average PER (Player Efficiency Rating) is 15.00 and the average WS/48 is 0.099. Outlaw's performance is almost half that of an average player and that doesn't account for all the mental mistakes he makes and his propensity to take more shots then he should.

So I pose the question (remember this is hypothetical): Travis Outlaw has four years and twenty-eight million remaining on his contract after the completion of this season; if you were in charge, would you buy Outlaw out for sixteen million over four years.  You would be saving three million in cap-space per year, but you be paying four million for the next four years to an empty roster spot. 

I think it's a tough decision.  I had to consider it for a little before I came to an answer, but I probably wouldn't do it because I don't think the extra three million in space would be enough to bring in a marginal player.  I'm curious to hear what you guys think.  Try to take emotion (more specifically, your hate for Outlaw) out of the equation and assess it with a straight head.

First, let me preface this easy in a manner similar to the one I use with almost every other FanPost I write: I composed the following throughout two of my classes so if there are any typos, tense errors or gaps in thought I apologize for them in advance.  

I'm sure many of you are familiar with what I wrote nearly three weeks ago -- I detailed my "belief" that Carmelo Anthony would ultimately end up in a Nets jersey.  I contended that the Nets had gained control of negotiations because they had publicly pulled out of trade discussions and because they had something the Nuggets didn't -- outside-options.  I illustrated my sentiment that the Nets would be able to give up significantly less than had previously been reported because they were in a position of power.  I'm quoting "belief" because I didn't believe it the second it I typed it, I thought it sounded good, I surmised that it was logical, but I didn't buy it.  I didn't -- and still don't -- see Carmelo Anthony ever dawning a Nets jersey, it just seems too inconceivable.  Is he really going to leave the Nuggets (who have a pretty good roster) to sign an extension and play a year in Jersey.  I just don't see it.

Having said that (Curb fans), a lot of being a fan is about indulging in unrealistic and fictitious scenarios which keep us entertained.  So -- going under the assumption that the Melo would sign an extension with the Nets -- here are my thoughts.  

Bargaining power results from the amount (and the quality) of outside-options that each side has, the Nets are still in a position of power because they have alternatives.  The Nuggets do not.  Since the report that the Nets and Nuggets had resumed trade discussions no details of a proposed deal have been released.  To me, that's good news. Although there are some exceptions (as with everything in life), for the most part, deals that are played out in the public eye tend not to be completed OR look marginally different when they're completed.

The Nets have to remember -- and I'm sure King is on top of it, he's smarter than me -- that they're competing against a deal comprised of Wilson Chandler (who becomes a restricted free-agent after the season), Danillo Gallinari, Landry Fields, Anthony Randolph and Plaxico Burress (aka Eddy Curry).  Obviously there's a possibility that the Knicks would up their offer if they consider the Nets to be a serious opponent in their quest to bring Anthony to NY, if that occurs then they would probably be willing to budge on Felton, but other than that they don't have much to offer. The Mavericks could also sneak into the picture if Cuban becomes willing to trade Rorique Beaubois, however their potential package (pause) isn't a very favorable one.

The Nuggets will want to obtain a package similar to the one that they were (reportedly) being offered before Proky's "I'm a Boss" moment.  That's simple bargaining theory.  They'll have trouble accepting a deal comprised of significantly less than they could have previously had, but tough ****.  King has to put his foot down and I have confidence that he will.  So, without further ado, here are the four trades that I think the Nets should entertain (obviously each of them can be tweaked slightly and reconfigured, but for the most part this is the outline of deals that the Nets should do without involving other teams):

Trade #1

Nets Receive: Carmelo Anthony

Nuggets Receive: Derrick Favors, Damion James, Rockets' 2012 First-Round Pick, Lakers' 2011 First-Round Pick and Troy Murphy's contract

Trade #2

Nets Receive: Carmelo Anthony

Nuggets Receive: Damion James, Quinton Ross, Nets' 2011 First-Round Pick, Warriors' 2012 First-Round Pick (protected 1-7), Rockets' 2012 First-Round Pick and Troy Murphy's contract

Trade #3

Nets Receive: Carmelo Anthony, Al Harrington, Sheldon Williams

Nuggets Receive: Derrick Favors, Damion James, Travis Outlaw, Warriors' 2012 First-Round Pick, Lakers' 2011 First-Round Pick and Troy Murphy's contract

Trade #4

Nets Receive: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Aaron Afflalo

Nuggets Receive: Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Damion James, Rockets' 2012 First Round-Pick and Troy Murphy's contract

I'm a little hesitant about the fourth trade, but I wouldn't be against the any of the other three.  I'm also against trading Morrow unless the Nuggets would send back Afflalo (it should be noted that he's in the last year of his deal). So, what do we think?

As I sit here in class I can't help but think about Carmelo Anthony.  Over the past three weeks I had become so accustomed to Melo news that the recent "NoMelo-era" has me searching for a fix.  NetsDaily had become so overrun with Melo rumors that some people asked for a break.  Nets fans weren't the only causality of the Melo-rumors though, many of the Nets players (most noticeably Devin Harris) seemed to be distracted and their play suffered as a result. Since Prokhorov's press-conference the mood and play of the team has been significantly better, the team seems to have more chemistry out on the floor (the return of Morrow shouldn't be overlooked) and better comradery on the bench. The Nets have shown the fans and maybe even themselves that there is life without Melo.  

So you might ask: why are you bringing Melo up if there haven't been any new rumors and the team is playing well? Good question.  I'm bringing up Melo because I've had a change of heart.  Since August I had been preaching that Melo would never play a game in a Nets jersey because he was set on playing alongside his good friend Amare Stoudemire in the comfy confines of MSG.  I argued that the Nets should turn their focus elsewhere because it was a pipe-dream which would never take form.  I felt that way up until two days ago when Melo proclaimed that the only places he would be willing to sign an extension were New York, Chicago, Denver and NEW JERSEY.  Anthony brought up the Nets unprompted and he even got into specifics, claiming that the Nets "cancelled the meeting."  He then went on to talk about how the whole thing is weighing on him and how he's really unsure of what he's going to do.  Then he dropped a bomb, when asked about ending up on a team where he wouldn't want to sign an extension he said that he would be "screwed."  To me, this was the first time that Anthony acknowledged that there was a substantial priority placed on signing an extension prior to the new CBA.  It had been reportedly tirelessly, but I had never heard it from Melo's mouth.  For the first time that I can remember, I feel like Melo would sign an extension with the Nets.

With the "Melo signing an extension with the Nets" variable taken care of the other part of the equation still remains unsolved.  The Nuggets seem hesitant to trade their superstar -- which is understandable because he's a cash-cow for that franchise and they'll have trouble getting back to where he's brought them financially -- and are holding him for a king's ransom.  As the trade deadline gets closer, the Nuggets will come to grips with the fact that they're going to have to trade Anthony.  They also have to come to grips with the fact that they don't have any where near the amount of leverage that they have been exuding.  The majority of the leverage they had was lost when Prokhorov announced that the Nets were ending their pursuit of Melo and as Anthony continues to announce his unwillingness to stay in Denver publicly the Nuggets continue to lose negotiating-power.

Here's where the Nets come in, the recent move by Prokhorov to pull out of trade-talks with the Nuggets was a prudent one which re-establishes the Nets to a position of power.  Negotiating power is all about the amount of outside-options an individual side has.  The side which can stand to walk away from bargaining more has the upper-hand.  In this scenario, the Nets have the upper-hand because they have alternatives, the Nuggets do not. Prior to Prokhorov's press-conference both sides were desperate and it was a game of chicken, now it is clear that the Nuggets are more desperate.  Some may argue that this is an unfair claim because nothing has changed -- yeah Prokhorov announced that the Nets were walking away, but do you really believe that?  The Nets need Melo now as much as they did two weeks ago, Prokhorov needs a face for his global-brand and Melo fits perfectly.  Fair point, but it's all about what the other side believes.  If the Nuggets believe that the Nets are willing to move on without Melo then they still hold power in negotiations.  It depends on how smart Ujiri and Kroenke are, if they can see through the smoke-screen that the Nets have just thrown and are willing to play hardball then it changes the scope of negotiations, but they haven't shown themselves to shrewd operators.  As stated earlier, the Nets have outside-options, the Nuggets don't.

Recently, a report surfaced which indicated that the Nuggets are certain the Nets will come calling when the deadline gets closer.  That's great news for the Nets.  It means that the Nuggets are reliant on the Nets and that they don't really have a viable alternative at hand.  When you analyze the situation it's easy to see that the Nuggets don't really have any feasible alternatives, the Knicks don't have the pieces they want, the Rockets aren't going to give up too much if Melo won't sign there, the Bulls can't trade Noah's contract and Caron Butler's recent season-ending injury has taken them out of the running.  The Nets are the only good option for the Nuggets and they've admitted it through their actions.

So, I propose a new trade for the Nets and the Nuggets:

Nuggets Receive - Troy Murphy, Damion James, Quinton Ross,  2011 New Jersey First Rounder, 2012 Golden State First Rounder, 2011 Los Angeles First Rounder, 2012 Houston First Rounder,  2011 Miami Heat Second Rounder, $4 Million Trade Exception (I'm being told that it's possible the Nets don't own a TE, but the deal works without it) and $3 Million in Cash.

Nets Receive - Carmelo Anthony and Sheldon Williams.

The Nets keep Favors and essentially have the best front-court in the NBA going forward.  Now some will argue that the Nuggets aren't going to trade Carmelo without getting Favors back, fine.  I'll counter with -- what's the alternative? The had an opportunity to get Favors and they blew it.  The proposed deal would give them more than enough and is far more than they're going to get from any other of the prospective teams willing to trade for Melo.  The Nuggets will have trouble executing a trade such as this without getting back Favors because the fan-base will be irate, but they really don't have any other choice.  Nuggets fans will have a far worse reaction if they let the deadline pass without dealing Melo, Ujiri and Kroenke know that.

I think the Nets need to hold on to Murphy's contract because they're going to need it for a possible Melo deal. For the first time, I believe that there's a realistic chance for Carmelo Anthony to be a New Jersey (soon to be Brooklyn) Net.  It just makes too much sense.  Thoughts?

On Wednesday, Mikhail Prokhorov announced that the Nets would pull out of the Carmelo trade-discussions with the Nuggets.  He claimed that the deal had become a distraction to the Nets' current-team, costing them "several" games. He also stated that the price for Carmelo had become "too expensive."  Prokhorov was asked multiple times if he would change his stance if the Nuggets came back to the Nets with a different proposal which required the Nets to give up less.  He responded by saying that his decision was "final" and that he was sure he wouldn't change his position.

It isn't clear whether the Nets pulled out of the trade-negotiations because they felt that the price was getting too high as well as serving as a large distraction to the team (causing a decrease in performance) or because they didn't feel like Carmelo would agree to sign an extension.  When asked that question directly, Prokhorov gave a convoluted answer which didn't really clarify what led to the his decision to end talks with the Nuggets.

There are many in the media and some amongst the population of Nets fans who believe that Prokhorov's press-conference was just a negotiating tactic to not only take the upper-hand in negotiations, but to also throw the media off the trail in order to keep it low-key.  It's plausible that the Nets would attempt to do something drastic in order to establish power over the Nuggets, but the fact that King went on the radio and repeated the team's position as well as apologizing to the team makes it seem very unlikely that Prokhorov would go against the word.  The reason, however, remains unclear.

For the purpose of this discussion let's assume that Carmelo Anthony is no longer a viable-option for the Nets -- he's out of the picture.  What should the Nets do now?  King has said publicly that the Nets are not planning to take on any additional salary in order to maintain their flexibility moving forward.  Should they look to move Murphy's expiring along with valuable assets to obtain a player with a large contract who could help the team win now (Andre Iguodala or Monta Ellis)? Should they grant Murphy's wish to be traded and just take back another expiring as well as a draft-pick or young prospect?  Should they just hold onto Murphy (and buy him out) if they can't find anyone willing to take him as well as give the Nets something worth taking?  Should they go for a complete overhaul and trade Harris, Murphy and other assets to attempt to reshape the team's future?  Basically, should they try to win-now and mortgage their future (possibly trade draft-picks) or should they stand pat and let their young players develop while holding onto their draft picks?

I think it would behoove the Nets to be patient and allow their young players (mainly Favors, Lopez and James) develop while holding on their draft-picks.  There's no reason for the Nets to trade any of the several draft picks that they have acquired to attempt players that won't put them over the top.  It's going to take time, but I think it makes sense for the Nets to just leave the team as if unless something that's too good to pass up presents itself.  

Two years in the NBA is an eternity.  Although the new CBA would probably inhibit the Nets' ability to bring in multiple top-tier free-agents to bolster their team, the Nets would still have a great market and a great arena to sell players on.  

The draft can really change the landscape of a team's future (as evidenced by the Bulls acquisition of Rose), but it can also leave you feeling unsatisfied if you don't pick the right player or end up with a pick that doesn't allow you to obtain one of the of the top-tier players in the draft.  Most will admit that relying on the draft to build a team is risky, but it can be done.  Especially with the resources Prokhorov provides, not only can he assemble the best scouting team that money can buy, but he can also purchase late first-round picks which would allow the Nets to bolster the roster.

I know a lot of fans are opposed to losing while developing young players and acquiring draft-picks, but it's in the Nets' best-interest to do so.  There aren't really any other feasible options that would bring the Nets to a championship-level.  The last thing you want is to have a team that will be 2nd-round playoff team with no room to improve because of bad-contracts.  Of course it would be good to see winning basketball, but not at the expense of a possible -- possible, not definite -- championship team.

I think the key is patience and I think as a shrewd business-man Prokhorov is willing to exude it if it's in the best interest of his team.  Thoughts? 

When Nets fans caught word of Lopez's bout with mono in the off-season many were worried that he wouldn't be able to fulfill what many deemed to be his number-one priority heading into this season -- gain weight.  There was even more cause for concern when Brook showed up at some team-events during the summer and looked remarkably slimmer than he had already been.  Many worried that Brook would not only be unable to put on weight, but would enter this season lighter than the previous two.  As a result, when reports surfaced that Lopez would be participating with Team USA during the FIBA championships many Nets fans pleaded that he drop from the team and focus on fully-recovering from the mono he got while kissing girls at Comic-Con.  After a few shaky scrimmage games Lopez dropped from Team USA and decided to put all his focus toward the upcoming season.  

Coming into the season Lopez said that it was a grueling process, but claimed that he had gained all the weight back. Many were skeptical, but took him at his word and hoped that he could continue his steady progression.  He started off the season strong and so did the Nets, all was well in Nets Land.

Fast-forward to today, there are several questions about Lopez's production this season and Avery Johnson's utilization of him within the offense -- can we really call it an offense -- which has caused the Nets to get off to a slow start.  We've all seen the numbers (Lopez is attempting significantly fewer shots around the rim as opposed to his first two years), we've seen the one-handed rebounds, we've seen the forced shots, we've seen him wondering around the three-point line, we've seen an inability to contribute in any other facet of the game except scoring and we've seen one significant change -- the coaching staff.

So I ask the question(s): Is Brook Lopez's regression Avery's fault or is it as a result of the mono?  Is Avery trying to mold Brook Lopez into a Dirk-like player or should the onus be placed on Brook for not being aggressive?  Is Avery to blame for the destruction of chemistry between Devin Harris and Brook Lopez?  Can the mono really explain the countless mental mistakes and lack of aggressiveness that Lopez displays game in and game out?  Is this the real Brook Lopez?

In a separate matter, Memphis Grizzles guard O.J. Mayo could be on the move soon, and a source close to his family thinks he could end up with the Knicks.

“They’re gonna move him next week and I think he’s gonna end up in New York,” the source said.

D’Antoni appears to have lost faith in shooting guards Andy Rautins and Kelenna Azubuike. Rautins is completely out of the mix and D’Antoni has said he doesn’t think Azubuike has recovered sufficiently from his knee surgery to contribute.

Still, a second source close to the Knicks said he thought the Mayo acquisition was unlikely.

“I don’t think we’re gonna get him,” the second source said. “We’re playing so good, you really don’t want to mess with it. You don’t want to tinker with it too much.”

After Friday’s victory at Washington, the Knicks have won seven straight. Amar’e Stoudemire has notched 30+ in seven straight games, tying Willie Naulls’ franchise record set in the early 1960s.

Mayo recently lost his starting shooting guard spot to Xavier Henry, a rookie out of Kansas.

After averaging 18.5 points as a rookie in 2008-09 and 17.5 last season, Mayo is now averaging 12.0 this season. As a bench player in the last 10 games, he’s averaging 8.6 points.

Mayo played 24 minutes and scored six points in the team’s win Wednesday over Phoenix.

Mayo is making $4.5 million this season and is under contract through the 2011-12 season.

Source: The Knicks Blog (credible source -- probably not)

If in fact the Grizzles are seriously considering the prospect of moving Mayo, I think that the Nets should be aggressive in their pursuit.  Mayo is exactly what this team needs and it is possible that he could be had for 80 cents on the dollar.  If the Nets have an opportunity to get a player of Mayo's caliber (upside and talent) then they have to pull the trigger, in my opinion.

So -- what do we think?  Should the Nets pursue OJ "Put The Cash In The Bag" Mayo or should they continue in their pursuit of (gulp) Carmelo Anthony?

Throughout the duration of the pre-season the absence of Damion James was noted by many, if not all, of NetsDaily.  Many chalked it up to Avery making the rookie earn his minutes, some claimed that it could be Avery's way of showing that players needed to make markable improvement if they expected to see the court and some hypothesized that Avery wanted to see what he had in Stephen Graham who was signed to a non-guaranteed contract.  There were rumors that Avery stated that James continued to make the same mistakes in practice and until he could improve he would be seeing the bench.  Some also pulled past reports where James had an issue with his coach at Texas giving him tough-love, but that coach later praised Damion for his leadership and teamwork.  No matter what the theory, the consensus was that once the season started Avery would institute a long rotation where players who performed on the court would be able to earn their minutes.  In the past, Avery usually gave players minutes based on merit and not based on talent, ego or contract size.

While it is only five games into a season where the Nets introduced twelve new players and underwent a complete overhaul of the coaching staff it isn't to early to take notice of the minutes (or lack thereof) that Damion James is being given.  The Nets starting small-forward, Travis Outlaw, has severely underperformed his contract and shows a consistent lack of effort and intelligence on both sides of the ball. The Nets started the season with Stephen Graham (who many thought would be cut before training camp ended) as their backup small-forward, but he quickly became burried on the bench.  In the third game of the season Damion James appeared to have the backup small-forward spot, but was still given minimal minutes.  In the limited minutes he was given it was evident that James could play at a high-level on both sides of the floor. However, since that game it appears as if Damion has been buried again in Avery's rotation (James didn't play until garbage time last night).

So I guess the point of this FanPost is to extend an open-ended question that many of us have been wondering: Why isn't Damion James being given adequate minutes when it appears that every time he steps on the court the team plays better and he produces?  

Now of course the only person that has the answer to this question is Avery Johnson, but it doesn't hurt to hypothesize.  

My guess is that James isn't responding well to Avery's coaching style and doesn't correct the mistakes he makes in practice.  I would be apt to say that Avery doesn't like to play rookies from the start, but Favors seems to be the first big off the bench.  When the Nets drafted James it was said that "this was Avery's pick" and that "he's an Avery-type player" so it is puzzling to me that he isn't being given ample playing time.

Okay, let me preface this by saying that if I wasn't studying for mid-terms I would put a lot more substance and backing into this fan-post, but because of unfortunate circumstances I can't really fully articulate the argument I'm about to pose. I'm doing this in an effort to spark debate and possibly alter people's perspective on the whole situation.

I'm fully aware that the majority of NetsDaily is tired of the Carmelo story, the rumors, the lies, the reports, the predictions, the theories, everything.  Believe me, I'm right there with you, I'm usually one who doesn't even delve into the Melo rumors because quite frankly I view it as a waste of energy -- whatever happens, happens.  But, I'd like to tender a perspective that hasn't been greatly discussed:

Is it conceivable that Melo could end up with the Nets this off-season as opposed to via a mid-season trade?

Now I'm fully aware of all the aspects that have to coincide in order for this to take place and until recently I was on the Melo is going to the Knicks and there's nothing that the Nets can do about it, it's inevitable bandwagon.  While I still believe that this is the most probable end, I no longer believe that it is a lock.

There is another actor that has to be considered in the Melo situation, the team that currently holds his rights and controls his fate this season, the Nuggets.  It is apparent that the Nuggets have given up hopes of convincing Melo that Denver is the best place for him to continue to play, they have come to the realization that it is in their best interest to get all they can for Melo.  I would venture to guess that the Nuggets don't care about Anthony's happiness, especially since he has pretty much publicly announced his desire to leave, so their only objective is to get the most value possible.  There is however an obvious obstacle, in order for the Nuggets to get the most possible value in return Melo has to agree to sign an extension with their trading partner.  As a result, it is a popular opinion that Melo will only be traded to a team for which he is willing to sign an extension, but there is a possible scenario where this wouldn't be case.

There is a very strong possibility that because Melo seems to have his mind set on only signing with the Bulls or the Knicks the Nuggets could end up trading Melo to a team which he is not guaranteed to sign an extension.  Neither the Bulls nor the Knicks have very good packages to offer -- although by December the Knicks could offer Randolph, Gallinari, Curry's pick and draft picks, just kidding they don't have those, but that would be a pretty good return for the Nuggets -- and the Nuggets are looking to get the most possible compensation for trading their super-star.

It is not out of the realm of possibility that the Nuggets end up panicking near the deadline because they haven't received an adequate offer (the Knicks could decide to just hold onto their assets and wait to sign him in the off-season) and sending him off in a deal off lesser value.  Depending on how the season shapes out, there could be a team which feels that Melo would push them over the top (to be honest, I don't really see a team that would be in this position, but whatever) and consequently would offer a trade without having reassurance of the future.

If this were to happen Melo would be going into next off-season a free-agent.  It is pretty much the consensus that if Melo gets to free-agency then he is a lock to sign with the Knicks and conceivably have Paul join him in 2011.  As I stated earlier, my thoughts were consistent with that of the consensus until recently.  There is a scenario where the Knicks could look significantly less attractive than they do currently.  Whether it be a combination of a horrific injury to Amare or extremely poor play, it is possible.

It is my opinion that if the Knicks play poorly this season (relatively) and the Nets play above expectations (maybe a second round exit or an impressive showing against one of the East's top-tier teams) the perceived gap between the two (from Melo's perspective) could significantly shrink.  If the Nets can display that Brook Lopez is as good, if not better than Amare and that Avery Johnson's system is conducive to winning then Melo's opinion on the championship potential of each team could shift.

The Nets could then make the same presentation to Carmelo that they did to LeBron this past summer.  The jet, the russian prostitutes, the folders with his face on them, the global perspective, the marketing potential, the golden jet-ski, the whole shebang, but with one very important difference.  The Nets brass could present Carmelo Anthony with two options: you can sign an extension here and become a global superstar, the face of Brooklyn's new franchise and play in the most luxurious arena in the NBA within one year's time while playing with one of the best young squads in the NBA with the potential to compete for championships for a significant duration of time or you can have all those things and we'll turn around some of our great young assets and draft picks and bring in Chris Paul.  Both options are very intriguing, but I'm almost positive that Carmelo would choose the latter.  With that you present the prospect of him playing alongside one of, if not the, league's best point guards and a top-three center in a huge media market and a top-of-the-art new arena.  If all of this was not only brought to Carmelo Anthony's attention, but presented to him by one of the world's richest and most interesting men it would be hard for him to resist.  I don't think that all of this is out of the realm of possibility; only time will tell though.

It should be noted that for this scenario to be conceivable Melo's top priorities have to be winning (for a long period of time) and receiving the most media attention possible and not just playing in Madison Square Garden because if this is the case then there is nothing that the Nets can do to prevent the marriage between Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks.

Carmelo Anthony is continuing to push Denver to find a trade that will send him to the Knicks and has stepped back from a willingness to commit to the Nets. On Saturday, the Knicks were exploring ways to put together a package that might land Anthony.

Over the weekend, Anthony began having doubts about agreeing to a contract extension with the Nets. Yahoo! Sports reports that the four-team blockbuster that would send Anthony to New Jersey, which seemed to be gaining critical momentum on Friday night, is now at "a perilous crossroads."

Anthony’s desire to make a long-term commitment to the Nets started eroding when former Nets' players related their experiences with an empty arena, the apathy of fans, and the team playing in the shadow of the Knicks and Madison Square Garden. Anthony was already concerned about joining a team in New Jersey that would not be close to contention even with him on board.

"He’s having second thoughts on Jersey," a league source told Yahoo! Sports. "He’s pushed [Denver] to explore other options."

While the Nuggets still believe the deal with New Jersey gives them their best return, Denver engaged the Knicks on Saturday in discussions centered around Danilo Gallinari, Anthony Randolph and Toney Douglas, according to sources.

Sources indicated that the Knicks are working to pry draft picks to send the Nuggets in a deal for Anthony, and have contacted the Rockets for this purpose. Before last season's trade deadline, the Knicks sent their 2012 first-round pick to Houston, and agreed to swap picks with the Rockets in 2011, in a move to dump the contract of Jared Jeffries.

Source: RealGM

Okay, I'm going to get vilified for this, but whatever. I'm rooting for Carmelo Anthony to go the Knicks or Bulls barring any significant changes in the Nuggets' demands. Here are the reasons why:

1) First and most importantly, the deal as currently constructed is not very beneficial to the Nets. Yes, the Nets would get a top-7 player who they could market as the face of the franchise. They would however, be losing Derrick Favors who can (notice, I said can) fill the PF-void the franchise has had since K-Mart was traded for the next decade. 

Favors' upside is unfathomable, he's actually a bit taller and eight pounds heavier than Dwight Howard was when he entered the NBA. Favors' has world-class athleticism and a great NBA body. Not only does he have the physical attributes necessary to succeed in the NBA, but he also has the workhorse mentality. He drives to improve his game everyday and is notorious for being a gym-rat. Since the Nets have drafted Favors he has put on about 10 pounds of muscle and he just turned 19.

There are some questions about Favors' attitude, many critics claim that he is too nice and that he lacks the killer mentality necessary to be a force in this league. As stated earlier, it should be noted that Favors' just turned 19, for some players it takes time to develop that instinct. Dwight Howard was labeled the same way when he entered the league and many say he is still too nice to be an alpha-dog. He is however, evidence that a player can dominate the floor without possessing the eff-you mentality that so many of the greats have.

Many claim that Favors is a high-risk, high-reward player, meaning that he has tremendous potential, but could also be a bust. The popular comparisons are Tyrus Thomas and Stromile Swift, both of which are flawed. 

When Tyrus Thomas was drafted he was considered to be a superior athlete similar to Favors, but there are two distinct differences between Thomas and Favors. Thomas' pre-draft measurements were 6'8 (in shoes) and 213 pounds. Favors' pre-draft measurements were 6'10 and 246 pounds (he has since bulked up to about 255). The other attribute that separates the two is attitude, they are polar opposites. When Tyrus entered the league he was thought of as "cocky, hard to coach and at times lazy." Favors has been described as very coachable, a hard-worker and extremely humble." While it is very possible that Favors doesn't live up to his hype, the comparison to Tyrus Thomas is illogical and the only similarity between the two is their athleticism.

When Stromile Swift was drafted with the 2nd pick in the 2000 draft by the Vancouver Grizzles he was expected to be a star. Swift displayed superior athleticism, great shot-blocking ability and a very competitive attitude on the court. Off the court however, Swift was described as "selfish, unpredictable, extremely stubborn and every coaches nightmare." Swift advertised a 6'10 frame with the potential to put on a lot of muscle (similar to Favors), but only weighed in at 220 (26 pounds lighter than Favors). The comparison of Favors to Swift on the court is merited, both were considered to be superior defenders with unbelievable athleticism. Both were considered to be limited on the offensive side because they relied on their superior athleticism to score points. But the significant difference between the two, is their attitudes. Favors is willing to learn and Swift wasn't, and while Swift is putting up 30 a game out in China, Favors has a much higher chance to fulfill his potential because of his willingness to learn and be coached.

2) Not only do the Nets lose Favors, but they would also have to give up Devin Harris. Devin Harris played very well under coach Avery Johnson during the Dallas days, displaying a good balance of play-making ability and defensive talent. Coach Johnson never released the shackles off Harris though, because he felt that Devin was too young and wasn't ready to efficiently run the offense without his guidance. Now Harris is three years older and has displayed an ability to score at a very high clip (when healthy) and to run a team. If Johnson can re-instill Harris' ability to lock down the opposing team's point-guard every given night then Harris can most definitely return to all-star status. With the help of shooters (Morrow, Murphy, Outlaw and James) Harris should be able to penetrate without the defense collapsing as much as they did last year. It is also important to note that Harris has put on 15-20 pounds of muscle this off-season in an attempt to decrease his rate of injury.

Harris also has very good chemistry with the Nets' franchise-center Brook Lopez. Even with Harris missing 17 games last season, the duo of Lopez and Harris lead the league in alley-hoops. It also appears as if Lopez and Harris have a good relationship off-the-court. Harris is very critical in Lopez's development and if the Nets were to start Farmar or T-Will the Nets young-talented center could regress.

3) Over the last decade the NBA draft has gotten significantly deeper. Many teams are finding above-average and even all-star players in the late first round. In the reported four-team deal the Nets would be losing two first round-draft picks -- their 2011 first-round pick and the Warriors' 2012 first round pick (protected 1-7). Both of those picks could prove to be very valuable as trade chips or to bolster what is already an extremely talented young roster. 

4) The Nets are giving up way too much in this trade in which they should be the aggressor. The Nuggets are operating out of a position of desperation, they need to deal Carmelo Anthony before this year's trade deadline, more preferably before the season starts The Nuggets are aware that if they choose to trade Melo before the season starts they can get more value. Nonetheless, they have no leverage in the situation because they have no use for Carmelo. Hypothetically if they don't lower their demands for Anthony the Nuggets could be left empty-handed. Billy King and the rest of the Nets' front-office need to realize that they are operating out of a position of power. They could swap Terrence Williams for Derrick Favors and the value would still be significantly higher than what other teams are offering. So far (according to the reports), King has proved to be an ineffective poker player and has not displayed the shrewdness that Thorn did while working on big trades.

5) Carmelo Anthony's preference is to play elsewhere -- Chicago or New York. His preference is to join Amare Stoudemire in New York and play under the bright-lights of MSG. Melo's thinking is that the Knicks could maneuver a deal for Chris Paul as early as this year, but more likely next off-season. With young assets such as Anthony Randolph, Danillo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Eddy Curry's contract it is very plausible that the Knicks could acquire CP3. But, if the Knicks were to trade for Melo they would no longer possess these assets and they wouldn't be able to acquire Paul until 2012 when he becomes an unrestricted free-agent. It would be prudent for Melo to play this year out in Denver and then join the Knicks next off-season so that the Knicks still have the assets to trade for Paul. It is reported that Anthony is also open to going to Chicago to play with Rose and Boozer.

If Melo doesn't really want to play for the Nets he is more apt to complain if things don't go well off the bat. It is conceivable that Carmelo could approve a trade to the Nets (by agreeing to sign an extension) because he feels that he has been backed into a corner and then realize that he made a grave mistake. The fallout could be catastrophic. Anthony could attempt to force his way out of New Jersey and become a team-cancer. In this day and age of players running the league I wouldn't put it passed Carmelo to do this.

6) Something that hasn't been talked about too much is the potentially disastrous relationship between Carmelo Anthony and coach Avery Johnson. Johnson demands a lot out of his players, especially on the defensive. He preaches discipline, accountability, communication and an understanding of his defensive system. Johnson takes a very upfront approach to coaching, he's not afraid to get in his players faces and call them out when they make mistakes, even if they're stars (see: Dirk Nowitzki). Anthony has never had a coach that has held him accountable and isn't afraid to challenge him. Anthony is known to be a very stubborn player with an unwillingness to put in a lot of effort on the defensive side of the ball. Johnson will not accept this. The potential for the relationship between Johnson and Carmelo to blow up is very possible and the fallout wouldn't benefit the Nets as a team.

7) How fun would it be to watch Melo join the Bulls or the Knicks and have him face off with the Talents in South Beach. Imagine Rose, Melo and Boozer versus Wade & company or Paul, Melo and Stat taking on Wade's assistants. It doesn't hurt that I have partial ownership of Knicks season tickets, if the Knicks could acquire Paul and Melo then the Garden would be back and one of the greatest rivalries of the 90's (Heat vs Knicks) would return. You can't blame me for wanting Melo to join the Knicks, can you? Yeah, well probably. I guess that means I'm not a true Nets fan. But, with the way the league is headed why not have superstars join forces and try to take on the Heat. Who knows, at this rate it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Stern will abolish the majority of the NBA teams and just leave those with stars on them. Get your popcorn ready.

What seemed like an area of weakness for the Nets last season has now become a congestion.  Last year the Nets were hard-pressed to get consistent production from their shooting guards and small forwards.  For much of the year the Nets started Courtney Lee at the 2 and Jarvis Hayes at the 3, with CDR coming off the bench as a hybrid and Hassell coming in to provide defense and rebounding.  Terrence Williams emerged in latter half of the season as a consistent performer averaging 15-7-7 for the last month and a half of the season earning the Rookie of the Month award in April.  Williams finished the season strong and it appeared as if the Nets may have once again gotten lucky in the draft as T-Will dropped to them at 11 (the previous year Lopez dropped to them at 10).  It seemed as if the Nets had filled the void at the 2, presumably with Courtney Lee and T-Will splitting time there as all signs pointed to CDR being on his way out.

As expected, during the early stages of the off-season the Nets traded CDR to the Bucks for chump change.  With Bobby Simmons, Jarvis Hayes and Trenton Hassell's deals expiring there was now a bigger hole at the SF position than the year prior.  The Nets had exchanged "the Yi player" for Quinton Ross, but many assumed that he was unlikely to earn many minutes.  All signs pointed to the Nets drafting someone to fill that void, as the Nets traded up for a player who could fill the hole that had been off the radar for much of the Nets fanbase -- Damion James. 

Thorn & Co. weren't done there though, as they added Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow and Ben Uzoh during free agency.

Now (barring any trades), the Nets are presented with a logjam at the shooting guard and small forward positions.  Presumably there are 7 players on the roster who can play either the 2 or the 3: Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow, Terrence Williams, Courtney Lee, Damion James, Ben Uzoh, Quinton Ross.  It is fair to eliminate both Ross (although he is Avery's kind of player) and Uzoh from contention for significant minutes, but that still leaves 5 players to compete for 96 minutes a night. 

Cases can be made for each of the five players, but the favorites to start the season at SG and SF are Courtney Lee and Travis Outlaw, respectively.  Now that leaves Terrence Williams, Anthony Morrow and Damion James.  Morrow will most likely split minutes with Lee and might even overtake him as a starter if Lee continues to be inconsistent.  Damion James is Avery Johnson's product (Avery and the scouts were liked him so much that the Nets traded up for him on draft night) and was very impressive during Summer League.  So presumably, he'll get a lot of minutes off the bench because of his grit and versatility.

Speaking of versatility, that leaves one player: Terrence Williams.  T-Will displayed an ability to run the point-forward at the latter stages of the 2009 season and expectations grew at an unprecented pace.  Many believed that T-Will would come off the bench and play a lot of point guard because they were infatuated with his court vision and precise passing, but after his showing during Summer League and the Nets signing Jordan Farmar, it is evident that there won't be minutes for T-Will at the point guard spot.  So the questions are: Where will T-Will play?  Will he even get to play?  If he doesn't play will he create problems in the locker room?  If he does play who's mintues will he be taking?  Should the Nets trade T-Will, who appears to have loads of potential and creates mismatches on the offensive side of the floor, because they have no room for him to play?

I like Terrence Williams and I think he has the potential to be a fringe all-star, but I'm not sure there is a place for him on this team.  I think the only player that he could replace would be Courtney Lee, but Lee plays superior defense and displays far more consistent shooting. 

I don't know the answer, I don't think the Nets should trade T-Will because it would be criminal to give up on a player with a ceiling as high as his, but I just don't see how the Nets can fit him into the rotation with all the off-season additions.  Thoughts?

Edit: This is all speculation, of course we won't know until the season starts.  Was just trying to spark some debate.