UPDATE:
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, David Aldridge of NBA.com, and Howard Beck of the New York Times both refute the report below it. We’ve kept the report up after the jump for clarity.
The Brooklyn Nets are no longer considering a deal for Charlotte’s Ben Gordon, league source tells Y! Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 21, 2013
Received an emphatic denial that Nets have agreed to any Humphries/Gordon deal. They don’t want Gordon, period.
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeckNYT) February 21, 2013
As @howardbecknyt reported, Nets strongly–“100 percent”–deny reports of Humphries/Gordon trade. They told CHA Wed. nothing would happen.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) February 21, 2013
—–
According to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Bobcats have agreed in principle to swap Bobcats guard Ben Gordon and Nets forward Kris Humphries, pending a resolution of Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith’s availability.
Source: Nets have secured Kris Humphries-for-Ben Gordon trade with Bobcats, but waiting to see what happens with Hawks’ Josh Smith first.
— Sam Amico (@SamAmicoFSO) February 21, 2013
If the Nets are able to swing a deal for Smith, the trade would come off the table; if not, the Nets would presumably move forward with this “plan B” trade. Gordon would likely slot in as a backup shooting guard behind Joe Johnson, and play in smaller lineups that feature Joe Johnson at small forward.
On the season, Gordon is averaging 20.7 points per 36 minutes on 42.7% shooting, 40.6% from beyond the arc. Humphries, struggling with inconsistent playing time, is in the midst of his worst season as a Nets player, averaging 11.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per 36 minutes on 43.7% shooting and a 13.8 PER.
Humphries makes $12 million flat this year and next. Gordon makes $12.4 million this season, and has a player option for 2013-14 worth $13.2 million.
