Devin Harris should be an ex-Net today.
The Nets were working to find a home for Harris and had two primary scenarios with Western teams, Dallas and Portland, last night.
In one, the Nets and Dallas were discussing a swap with the major pieces being Harris and Caron Butler, out for the season with a right knee injury. Butler, 30 next month, has a $10.5 million expiring contract.
The Nets also sought a first-rounder and rookie Dominique Jones from South Florida, out with a foot injury, from Dallas and would ship out the disenchanted Harris, who started his career with the Mavericks in 2004, and likely Quinton Ross to make the deal work.
The Portland deal, also being discussed, made far more sense because it brought a point guard back to the Nets, who canceled last night’s practice.
The Portland deal contained Harris and Troy Murphy with nearly $21 million in salary going to the Blazers for veteran point guard Andre Miller, 35 next month, and Joel Przybilla. Those two combined are under $15 million in salary. So either a third team or another player would be needed. The Record of North Jersey first reported Greg Oden ($6.7 million) would be included. A Blazers source said the organization seemed split about including Oden, down for the third time with a season-ending injury.
The Nets could try a simpler deal: Harris ($8.9 million) for Miller ($7.2 million), if the Blazers would add another low salary player — but it would not be Rudy Fernandez because Portland wants to add shooters, not trade them.
Murphy also could go to Golden State for two non-descript big men: Brandan Wright and Dan Gadzuric. He likely then would be bought out, and Orlando is one potentially interested team.
“I’ve heard Portland and I’ve heard Golden State, but I really don’t know,” Murphy said. “At least it will be resolved within 48 hours.”
Meanwhile, the Nets are confident they remain in the hunt for Carmelo Anthony.
Oh, sorry. They like their chances with LeBron James.
Check that. It’s Chris Paul. Yeah, they like their chances with Chris Paul.
Or is it Deron Williams? Dwight Howard?
Only 16 months until Chris-Deron-Dwight Watch.
As the bitter-rival Knicks landed Anthony, the Nets were left on speed dial to find a taker for Harris with Atlanta also interested, for possibly ex-Knick Jamal Crawford — who is known to be favored in Portland.
The Nets tried every angle to land Anthony who was deemed critical for the move to Brooklyn but in the end, their worst nightmare came true. The Nets failed, the Knicks didn’t. Owner Mikhail Prokhorov, whose image took a monster hit, said he didn’t want to re-engage talks for Anthony after spectacularly crushing them Jan. 19. But he did.
The process has devalued Prokhorov, Harris and Murphy. Now the goal will be to wade into the 2012 free-agent class when a new Collective Bargaining Agreement could side with the have-not teams. The Knicks, meanwhile, will have two superstars to ease price-tag pain.
The Nets have a terrific coach in Avery Johnson. They have a “cornerstone” in center Brook Lopez — although he is underachieving this season. They have a stud-in-waiting, Derrick Favors, 19, whose time may be further away than thought. They have important rotation players, Kris Humphries and Sasha Vujacic, in their final contract years. They lack star power, hence popularity. Their image is horrid, their attendance the worst in the league.
The Nets have up to six first-round picks in the next three drafts, some with protections. This year’s draft is considered weak and next year’s draft is deemed strong. Depending on how long it takes for rookies to flourish, that’s only a couple more years of irrelevancy.
fred.kerber@nypost.com