SALT LAKE CITY — The Nets could pull the trigger on a deal for guard O.J. Mayo, according to league sources familiar with the thinking of the Nets and Grizzlies.
Just two days after sources said talks between the Nets and Grizzlies for a trade involving Mayo had fizzled out, a published report said the two teams are talking again. The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported the Nets have offered two scenarios for Mayo — Anthony Morrow in one deal or Jordan Farmar and a pick in another.
But one source said there wasn’t anything “right now” but that the Nets could do a deal if they wanted. The Commercial Appeal said it the other way that the decision was in the hands of the Grizzlies.
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The Nets no doubt would do it again — getting a shot at a player of Deron Williams’ caliber is rare — but coach Avery Johnson said it was hard trading Derrick Favors.
“Yeah, it was tough. Derrick is a good kid,” Johnson said. “Favors, we really thought a lot of him in the draft. We still think he has a bright future.He’s an NBA prototypical power forward. He’s just 20 years old or so. He could legitimately be a junior in college right now. Again, sky’s the limit for that kid and I really enjoyed working with him.”
Favors said last season after the trade he wondered why the Nets ever drafted him, and felt they really didn’t want him. He admits he is over all that — and yes, he realizes he was represented a path to Williams. But he is a different player than the kid who walked into Nets camp and immediately heard his name as trade bait.
What’s the difference?
“First of all, just being in a place that wants you here,” he said. “Know what I’m saying?” And I worked hard this summer, conditioning, just working on my skills, everything. I just became a better player.
“I’m over it [the trade] now. True, there were some emotions I was going through about [it] but I’m over it now,” he said.
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The Nets, for a second straight year, are living under the cloud of trade talk for a superstar. Last year, it was Carmelo Anthony. This year, it’s Dwight Howard. Devin Harris and Favors were swept up in all of the Anthony talk, with both coming here in the deal for Williams.
“It’s a matter of business and there’s not a whole lot you can do about it,” Harris said. “There’s not a whole lot you can worry about.” Harris said, noting the matter did not leave “a bad taste [but] it was a difficult situation all year long. Obviously with the Carmelo situation haunting the team all year, it was kind of a weird year for everybody.”
But now Harris is experiencing something he did not feel in New Jersey: winning.
“It’s just reassuring,” he said. “It’s just winning is the most important thing and we didn’t get a whole lot of that when I was there.” he said. “We had some years where we had some decent years, but the 12-win season was tough and last year going through what we went through was tough. But it’s just glad to get back to winning.”
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Shawne Williams, who is suffering right shin splints resulting from issues cause by aggravating an old fracture in his left foot, remains out with no timetable for a return. His injury, which came to the surface Friday in Phoenix, leaves the Nets woefully short at small forward where Damion James (foot) also is out.
“[Williams is] in a walking boot,” Johnson said. “We’ll have him re-examined when we get back home. There are a combination of issues with his leg and hopefully we’ll have more details once we get back home to Jersey.”
After hitting 20 3-point shots at Denver and 15 at Phoenix, the Nets have three games of 15 or more trifectas this season. They had seven in their history before this season.
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Some views on Deron Williams:
“He’s one of the best. Obviously, he can beat you two different ways. Obviously he’s a high assist guy, as well as a guy who can put up points and those are always guys who cause problems,” said Harris, the ex-Net who switched places with Williams as the starting point guard for the respective teams.
“He’s a special player,” Al Jefferson said. “[He has a] very smart, high IQ. He gets off by getting other guys off. That’s a good thing when you have a guy who wants to get the people around him to score and then when he has to, he can take over too. He’s a great player.”