Around NetsDaily, we have all been trying to come up with ideas to keep Deron Williams happy for next year. Most of these ideas revolve around signing complementary free agents to add to our core.
However, the Nets are in a Catch-22 of sorts.
If they sign some of the decent free agents to the contracts that they will require for a signature on the dotted line, they may not be able to add Dwight Howard in the summer of 2012.
None of the free agents this year are good enough to make us championship contenders in my opinion.
However, if Deron does not see some improvement to the team, he may not re-sign with the Nets eliminating an championship hopes. Signing those free agents, however, would also limit those hopes.
So, I propose that instead of signing free agents this summer, the Nets should instead be working the trade market to acquire quality players that will be on expiring contracts next season.
To do so would keep Deron happy in the short term while also providing the Nets with enough flexibility to acquire Dwight Howard in the summer of 2012.
So I am going to list the players who would be on expiring contracts next year courtesy of ESPN. (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FreeAgents-11-12)
(P) = Player Option (T) = Team Option (ETO) = Early Termination Option
ATL - Restricted: None - Unrestricted: Kirk Hinrich
BOS - Restricted: None - Unrestricted: Kevin Garnett, Shaquille O'Neal
CHA - Restricted: D.J. Augustin, D.J. White Unrestricted: Matt Carroll (ETO), Desagna Diop (P), Eduardo Najera
CHI - Restricted: Omer Asik, Derrick Rose Unrestricted: Keith Bogans
CLE - Restricted: Semrih Erden, Luke Harangody, Manny Harris, J.J. Hickson Unrestricted: Joey Graham,
Antawn Jamison, Ramon Sessions (P), Baron Davis (ETO)
DAL - Restricted: None Unrestricted: Jason Kidd, Ian Mahinmi, Jason Terry
DEN - Restricted: Kosta Koufos, Danilo Gallinari Unrestricted: Raymond Felton
DET - Restricted: Terrico White Unrestricted: Jason Maxiell (P), Ben Wallace
GSW - Restricted: Jeremy Lin Unrestricted: None
HOU - Restricted: Courtney Lee Unrestricted:
IND - Restricted: Roy Hibbert, A.J. Price, Brandon Rush Unrestricted: Dahntay Jones (P), James Posey
LAC - Restricted: Eric Gordon Unrestricted: Randy Foye, Chris Kaman
LAL - Restricted: Derrick Caracter, Devin Ebanks Unrestricted: Andrew Bynum (T), Derek Fisher (P)
MEM - Restricted: Darrell Arthur, O.J. Mayo, Ishmael Smith Unrestricted:
MIA - Restricted: None Unrestricted: None
MIL - Restricted: Unrestricted: Carlos Delfino, Keyon Dooling, Ersan Ilyasove
MIN - Restricted: Michael Beasley, Kevin Love, Anthony Randolph Unrestricted: Anthony Tolliver
NJN - Restricted: Brook Lopez Unrestricted: Jordan Farmar (P), Stephen Graham, Deron Williams (P)
NOH - Restricted: David Anderson Unrestricted: Chris Paul (P)
NYK - Restricted: Bill Walker, Landry Fields Unrestricted: Chauncey Billups
OKC - Restricted: Russell Westbrook Unrestricted: Nate Robinson, Royal Ivey
ORL - Restricted: None Unrestricted: Ryan Anderson, Brandon Bass (P), Dwight Howard (ETO), Jameer Nelson (P)
PHI - Restricted: Jodie Meeks, Mareese Speights Unrestricted: Elton Brand (ETO), Andres Nocioni (T)
PHO - Restricted: Robin Lopez, Garret Siler Unrestricted: Vince Carter, Steve Nash
POR - Restricted: Nicolas Batum, Rudy Fernandez, Armon Johnson Unrestricted: Gerald Wallace (P), Marcus Camby, Andre Miller
SAC - Restricted: Donte Greene, Jason Thompson Unrestricted: Beno Udrih (P)
SAS - Restricted: George Hill Unrestricted: Antonio McDyess
TOR - Restricted: Solomon Alabi (T), Jerryd Bayless Unrestricted:
UTA - Restricted: Jeremy Evans Unrestricted: Mehmet Okur
WAS - Restricted: Javale McGee Unrestricted:
I looked at all of those guys to see:
A) Which of them filled positions of need for the Nets
B) Which of them did not have options to stay past the year
C) Which of them would realistically be traded by their respective teams
The two guys that I think would be the best fit for the Nets are Antawn Jamison and Carlos Delfino
Antawn Jamison
Season: 18.1 PPG 6.7 RPG .426 FG% .347 3PT% 15.7 FGAPG 25.8 USG% 16.8 PER 104 ORtg 112 DRtg
Antawn would fill a position of need for the Nets at the 4 and also provide some scoring and rebounding that they desperately need.
Carlos Delfino
Season: 12.4 PPG 4.0 RPG 2.4 APG .384 FG% .331 3PT% 11.7 FGAPG 19.1 USG% 101 ORtg 103 DRtg
Carlos is not extremely effective offensively, but he would get less touches on the Nets and would also give them a defender at the wings that they need.
Nets Lineup after trades:
Williams/Farmar
Morrow/???
Delfino/James
Jamison/Hump
Lopez/Petro
That team would be a sure playoff team in the East while maintaining enough flexibility to go after Howard in the summer.
Even if it is not these specific guys the Nets go after, I believe that they should fill their holes with guys from this list in order to maintain maximum flexibility for the franchise.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and any of the guys on this list that you would pursue.