The Nets endured a brutal start to a rough stretch of games, getting blown out by the Memphis Grizzlies on their home court with little of a fight. Though the team regained a bit of its shooting touch from deep tonight, the Grizzlies outmatched them by dominating the paint with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, and new Grizzlies forward Jeff Green made things tough on the Nets on both ends. The Nets kept the game within 10 to 15 points near the end, but never really stood a chance at cracking Memphis’s tough, all-around attack.

These past few games have also been an indication that the Nets, despite all his issues, sorely miss Deron Williams running the point. Williams is hardly a stalwart, but he’s more effective than the mid-range happy Jarrett Jack at running an offense by leaps and bounds, and the Nets have played better with him on the floor.

The Nets don’t have to make a trade, because you never have to make any one trade. But they’re about on the brink of it: with a seemingly disinterested team fast falling out of contention and an already wavering fanbase that doesn’t even crack the top three in its home borough in social media, they might need a shakeup just to keep things interesting.

The trade deadline, for those keeping track, is February 19, just before the Nets return to the floor following the All-Star break.