Talk about your Hail Mary's!
With time running down on the trade deadline clock, the Nets Wednesday traded Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, and two first round picks for Deron Williams, the Jazz All-Star point guard. The Nets sent their 2011 pick and the Warriors 2012 pick to the Jazz. The news was first tweeted by Al Iannazzone. Separately, the Nets may send Troy Murphy to the Warriors for two expiring contracts, Dan Gadzuric and Brandan Wright.
Williams, 26, is a two time all-Star and two time all-NBA player, a 20 and 10 player this year, averaging 21.3 and 9.7. As a member of Team USA, Williams won a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. Avery Johnson says he hopes to have Williams available for Friday's game in San Antonio. The Nets return home from the road on Monday.
The deal came together in the hours after Carmelo Anthony agreed to join the Knicks in a 13-player, three team deal. Billy King called Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor – the two worked together for the 76ers - and asked about Williams. He had not been in favor with the Jazz front office after his run-ins led to Jerry Sloan's abrupt resignation earlier this month. Not surprisingly, Williams is unhappy with the deal, Utah being the only team he's ever played for. However, King told reporters Williams is not unhappy with the Nets but with the prospect of leaving his pregnant wife.
Williams has a contract that lasts through the end of next season, the Nets' last in New Jersey. It contains a player option for $17.8 million in 2012-13, the team's first season in Brooklyn. As several pundits have noted, the Nets got Williams for about half what they were willing to give Denver for Anthony...and half what the Knicks ultimately sent the Nuggets.
The deal is validation for the Nets front office strategy and for King and Bobby Marks, who have spent most of the season trying to find a superstar for the Nets' planned move to Brooklyn. More than that, it permits Mikhail Prokhorov to save some face and perhaps add another face to the next "Blueprint for Greatness" billboard.
As C.J. Miles of the Jazz said, "Nobody saw it coming. It was crazy."
- Nets close deal for point guard Deron Williams - Al Iannazzone - The Record
- Nets trade for Utah's Deron Williams - Fred Kerber - New York Post
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Nets Acquire Deron Williams From Jazz - Howard Beck New York Times
- New Jersey Nets trade for Jazz PG Deron Williams - Marc Stein & Chad Ford - EPSN
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NBA trade deadline: Nets roll dice with Deron Williams trade - John Hollinger - ESPN
- Deron Williams To Nets (Video) - Chris Broussard - ESPN
- Surprise! Nets Land D-Will - John Schuhmann - NBA.com
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Nets trade for Deron Williams after failing to nab Carmelo Anthony - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- Nets Trade For Utah Jazz All-Star Deron Williams In Three-Team Deal - Tom Canavan - AP
- Nets to acquire Jazz point guard Deron Williams in three-team trade - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
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NETS Stun NBA, Acquire All-Star PG Deron Williams - Ben Couch - New Jersey Nets
- Jazz trade away Deron Williams to Nets - Brian T. Smith - Salt Lake Tribune
- Williams traded to Nets, sources say - Brian T. Smith - Salt Lake Tribune
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Utah Jazz: Players 'shocked' by Williams trade - Jody Genessy - Deseret News
- NBA watchers react to Deron Williams trade news - Dirk Facer - Deseret News
- Utah Jazz: Favors, Harris bring glossy resumes to Jazz - Dirk Facer - Deseret News
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Williams traded to New Jersey - KSL - Graydon Johns
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Utah’s Deron Williams traded to Nets in three-team deal - Kurt Helin - NBC Sports
- Jazz Trade Deron Williams To Nets - Jason Fleming - HoopsWorld
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Nets land Williams in three-player trade with Jazz - Reuters
- Jazz Shockingly Trades Deron Williams To Nets For Harris And Favors - Seth Pollak - SLC Dunk
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ESPNNewYork's Hot Button topic: Who's the better player - ESPN New York