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In the two New York City tabloids that cover the Nets, there were 21 stories, 25 pictures, 10 charts and one cartoon devoted to the Knicks and Carmelo Anthony yesterday. There were two stories and one picture about the Nets.
Now, the Nets are New Jersey and care little about New York papers. But losing Anthony was catastrophic for public relations, relevance, ticket sales. And, oh yeah, their team was light years behind the Knicks. They needed to do something for significance.
So they did — with a huge gamble.
Yesterday’s acquisition of Deron Williams, dubbed the “No. 1” point guard in the league by Nets general manager Billy King but a player who can opt out after next season to be a free agent, was a gamble the Nets simply had to take — even if they don’t see it as such. Williams is Jason Kidd-like in star status.
“I don’t look at it as a gamble. I really don’t,” said King, who said owner Mikhail Prokhorov was “ecstatic” about the acquisition of the two-time All-Star and 2008 Olympic gold medallist. “I look at it as we’ve acquired a player who’s going to be a cornerstone of our franchise for a long time,”
“Very rarely are you able to trade for somebody who’s arguably — arguably — the best at their position,” coach Avery Johnson said after the Nets surrendered Devin Harris, rookie Derrick Favors, $3 million in cash and two first-round picks — their own this June plus Golden State’s in 2012. “We’re looking at this as somebody we’re having for the long run.”
The price could have been higher. The Jazz originally sought an additional No. 1 pick, and in an expanded version of the deal, sources said, Utah wanted Anthony Morrow or Sasha Vujacic while dumping other players.
There is an asterisk because of Williams’ free agency. Williams, 26, the only player averaging more than 20 points and nine assists in the NBA this season, is one of the crown jewels of the 2012 free-agent class and may need to be sold on the Nets.
“I don’t look at it as a selling job,” said King, who said the deal came together in just over a day of talks with Utah counterpart Kevin O’Connor. “I just spoke to Deron. He’s excited. . . . He’s ready to help us build as we head from Newark to Brooklyn.”
Or as Johnson put it, “How about if the Nets have already been sold? Is that a possibility?”
The Nets may find an enormous ally in a new collective bargaining agreement. After next season, when he will make $16.35 million, Williams can opt out of his final year, (2012-13) when he is due for $17.77 million. It can be Carmelo Anthony all over again.
But a new CBA, with owners and the league seeking greater fiscal restraints and lesser contract lengths, could make $17 million irresistible. The current CBA expires June 30 and Williams can sign an extension July 18.
The Nets last night completed another trade, sending Troy Murphy and their 2012 second-round pick to Golden State for Dan Gadzuric and Brandan Wright.
After that, “I don’t foresee myself doing anything else,” said King, who landed Williams after considering other offers for Harris, including Caron Butler’s expiring contract.
Williams, reportedly infuriated by learning about the trade by watching TV, is scheduled to be introduced at a 3 p.m. news conference today. Johnson hopes to play him tomorrow in San Antonio when the Nets will tote out a new-look lineup that also has rookie Damion James at small forward and Kris Humphries back at power forward for the departed Favors.
Williams was in the middle of the recent Jerry Sloan retirement saga. Blowups with the star reportedly led to the Hall of Fame coach leaving. Johnson and King waved it off. King spoke to O’Connor and “Deron had nothing to do with it.”
If the deal is a gamble for the Nets, the Jazz saw it as avoiding a gamble down the road.
“He will be a free agent at the end of [2012]. He will be free, and the chance of signing him back, who knows?” Utah coach Ty Corbin told the Salt Lake City Tribune.
Among Nets players, the excitement about Williams was unbridled.
“I’m sure we’ll match very well, pick and roll wise and stuff like that,” Brook Lopez said. “We’ll get to know each other on the court pretty well very quickly.”
Humphries was a teammate of Williams in Utah in 2005-06.
“He’s a player that one night he can have 18 assists and eight points, or, if you need him to score 20-plus, he can do that,” Humphries said. “Very versatile.”
One guy not thrilled with the trade was fellow superstar point Chris Paul who wrote, “Utah traded DWill??” on his Twitter page, adding hashtags with “EpicFail” and “notagoodlook.”
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Fun fact: Deron Williams will be the 12th Williams to play for the Nets in their NBA history. The others: Aaron (2000-05); Buck (1981-89); Earl (1976-77); Eric (2004-05); Jayson (1992-2000); Kevin (1988-89); Marcus (2006-08); Ray (1981-82, 1985-87); Reggie (1996-97); Sean (2007-10); Terrence (2009-10).