Last week I assumed, barring something unforeseen, that Devin Harris was the Nets PG in the 2010-11 season. Well, Sam Smith is speculating something unforeseen. He believes the Nets are going to use their #3 pick in an attempt to trade for New Orleans PG Chris Paul.
The thinking goes like this: You get Paul and can play Devin Harris at shooting guard. Harris isn’t a great three-point shooter, though he has had decent seasons at 34 percent. But he is more a scoring guard than point guard. Plus, the way the game is played these days, it is useful to have a shooting guard who can handle the ball and make plays as opposed to just spotting up. The other, perhaps more likely, possibility is a sign-and-trade with the Hawks of Harris for Joe Johnson.
When healthy, Chris Paul is arguably the best point guard in the NBA – a player who can score, shoot, pass and play defense. However, Paul is also coming off an injury ravaged season where he only played in 45 games. He’s two years from free agency as well, which could play a role in disrupting Mikhail Prokhorov’s five-year plan.
Personally, I’m more excited to hear that this kind of speculation is out there, though I’m not sure what I think of Paul in a Nets uniform as of yet. It sounds like the Nets brass are ultimately unimpressed with what’s going to be available with their draft pick. I also think there’s some reality setting in that most of the big name free agents are either going to stay where they are or avoid the Nets.
