If the Melo trade to the Nets fails, the Nets should NOT proceed on to looking at the Trailblazers deal. Yes I know that we could get rid of Travis Outlaw and I would LOVE Outlaw off the Nets as would any other Nets fan, BUT I don't want the Nets to trade a top 10 PG in Devin Harris for a mid 30s PG who will only have but a couple of mediocre seasons left in him before he breaks down completely. I really don't understand the hate for Harris, but he is a good player. Maybe he isn't the type of PG that you don't want him to be, but he has his own different style and he helps the Nets to stay in games most of the time. Not to mention, his assist numbers have improved which is a good thing for a PG. All he needs is some REAL talent around him and he'll be fine.

When you have to deal with an albatross of a SF like Outlaw and a RAW rookie like Derrick Favors at PF, there's really not much you can do. Now replace those two with Kris Humphries and someone like Gerald Wallace and the lineup looks alot better along with Lopez, Morrow and Harris. And if the Nets really want to get creative a bit, they can trade for OJ Mayo and have him man the SG spot. While a lineup of Lopez, Humphries, Wallace, Mayo and Harris may not be a contending team, they would be built good enough to make a push at the playoffs.

If the Knicks end up trading for or sign CP3 sometime in the future, the Nets can counter by either trading for or attempt to sign Deron Williams. That way, both the Nets and Knicks will each have 2 of the top point guards in the NBA on their respective teams. Also, the Nets can hold on to most of their draft picks instead of giving up 4 of them in 1 trade which is silly. Who knows, the Nets may be able to draft a decent player out of the draft. Maybe they'll finally get K-Mart's replacement close to a decade later. The Nets should go that way instead of the Portland way.