The win against the Pacers show that the Nets can hang with the best, but more importantly, it showed the Nets can hang with the best WITHOUT DERON. Now I'm not saying I want Deron gone. He is still our most talented player and the guy most capable of leading us into contention, but he needs to play with more urgency, and there is no better way to light a fire under Dwill than to show him that he is expendable (even if he really isn't).

This is exactly what made 'Melo play like an MVP this year. It wasn't the fact the Lebron won a ring and the pressure's on him. It wasn't the fact that he's paid alot of money and he isn't performing to standards. (Although those might have some bearing). The main reason Carmelo started playing well was because of Jeremy Lin.

Lin showed Melo he is expendable. Lin showed him that he's not the star of the Knicks. Lin showed him that if he wants to be treated like a star, he needs to put in maximum effort. Melo was playing like crap because he felt entitled as a star player. I think Deron's acting the same way this year.

The Nets need to show Deron that they don't need him, even if they really do, and there's no better way than this.