With all of the starting caliber power forwards free agents pretty much locked up, the only way the Nets can get a guy to play in front of Derrick Favors for a few years so he can develop is through a trade. As Mark told us over the weekend, Terrence Williams might be the guy who gets sacrificed to make this happen.
People who read this site on a daily basis know how much I like Terrence Williams, but I do think if a deal gets made he is the one most likely to be dealt. In my opinion, Terrence Williams is valued higher by other teams than by the Nets. This is because Avery Johnson loves guys who can play both ends of the court, and right now Terrence Williams is weak on the defensive end. So who can the Nets bring in by dealing Terrence Williams? Well, I decided to use Trade Machine to take a look:
Terrence Williams for Carl Landry
Carl Landry is the exact type of Power Forward the Nets are looking for. He is only under contract for another two years, and he is a guy who wants to bang on the inside…the Nets need that. As for the Kings, they don’t have a standout Shooting Guard on their roster, and T-Will can be that.
Terrence Williams for Taj Gibson
With the Carlos Boozer signing in Chicago, Taj Gibson is now pretty much expendable. Gibson isn’t a guy who is going to be a superstar, but he will get in there and work to get rebounds, something the Nets need. As for the Bulls, their starting Small Forward is the often injured Luol Deng. Terrence Williams can come in and challenge for that starting job right away.
Terrence Williams for Jason Maxiell
This is the least likely of the three deals involving Terrence Williams because trading for Maxiell means that the Nets cap space gets cut by $2.5 million. Again, the premise is the same, a big banger inside with only two years on his deal.
Courtney Lee for Brandon Bass
The only team that may value Courtney Lee more than the Terrence Williams is the Orlando Magic. The Magic already know that Courtney Lee works in their system, and his role as a defensive stopper (which is the role he played during his rookie season with the Magic) was just opened up with Matt Barnes leaving. Brandon Bass hasn’t been able to crack the Magic’s rotation, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a good player. Bass is an athletic player whose body lets him throw his weight around inside the paint.