The Brooklyn Nets might look to trade their “Big 3” of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Brook Lopez, according to a report from Marc Stein of ESPN. But what might that mean for the Nets? Here’s our top trade ideas — and yours.
Top trade:
Brooklyn Nets trade Joe Johnson to Charlotte Hornets for Lance Stephenson, Marvin Williams, Gerald Henderson, 2016 second-round pick, 2019 second-round pick (from Miami)
A couple of you had nearly exact ideas, and they’d be smart to do their due diligence and try to acquire Kidd-Gilchrist instead of Henderson, but this is probably as good as a Joe Johnson trade will get.
Johnson is a Nike Jordan Brand athlete who, like most NBA players, speaks glowingly of the Michael Jordan, saying just last year that the highlight of his young career with the Celtics was guarding Jordan, while Jordan was in his first year back with the Wizards. The Hornets are, of course, owned by Jordan.
Jordan’s Hornets are nowhere near Jordan’s lofty standards as a player: despite a serendipitous season last year that got the then-Bobcats into the playoffs, they’ve opened the season at a rock-bottom 5-15 and might be looking to make a change. This deal would give the Hornets a chance to hit an early reset button with Stephenson, who has been a poor fit, and allow Johnson to provide a steady hand alongside the explosive Kemba Walker.
For Brooklyn, there’s a chance to finally have a Brooklyn-born player in the mercurial but talented Stephenson, and the bonus players allow them to improve their wing depth. One roadblock: the Nets have shied away from guys with character issues in the past, and Stephenson all but defines the term.
Other trades: Unfortunately, we only got two other Joe Johnson-centric trades — his contract is tough to shed — and they’re, uh, well, below.
Joe Johnson to Sacramento Kings for Rudy Gay:
@TheBKGame Joe Johnson for Rudy Gay.
— Joseph Martinez (@JMartinezBKN) December 10, 2014
My take: Move laterally any quicker and you could probably defend Joe Johnson.
Joe Johnson for Kobe Bryant:
@TheBKGame JJ for Kobe. Makes absolutely no sense for the Lakers, but hey what's wrong with having a little fun?
— alex mushalla (@BKNetsNation51) December 10, 2014
My take:
– Trade Ideas –
