With the Nets constantly being mentioned by the mainstream sports media as a potential landing spot for Carmelo Anthony, the NAS squad is going to take a look over at some of the players who would likely be included in a deal for the All-Star SF.
Note: Earlier this week, we at NAS incorrectly referred to a rule that noted Derrick Favors could not be traded within the year. In actuality he is only trade-protected within 30 days of signing his rookie contract. We apologize for the error.
Would You Trade Derrick Favors?
The Case For Trading Derrick Favors:
At the heart of it, Derrick Favors is still a prospect. The youngest player selected in the 2010 draft, he certainly showed his youth on many occasions at Georgia Tech and in summer league. It’s entirely possible that he doesn’t pan out to be near the star we’re hoping for – if he doesn’t put together solid offensive low post moves and be more consistently aggressive on both sides of the floor, he could be in for an unproductive career. Carmelo Anthony, on the other hand, is already established as a star. We know his pedigree. We know he’s a player who can help a team on the floor and in the box office at a top-15 level in the league. He’s proven that, and he hasn’t proven it to the point of age – he’s only 26 years old and right in the middle of his prime.
Also, if we’re really serious about acquiring Carmelo Anthony, dealing Favors may be an inevitability. It’s entirely possible that Denver will demand Favors in a deal, or it’s a no-go. Given the other pieces that the Nets can offer (Devin Harris and Terrence Williams being the two obvious choices), Denver might decide that Favors is a far more intriguing asset and decide only to make the deal with him included.
The Case Against Trading Derrick Favors:
Derrick Favors wasn’t the third overall draft pick in 2010 by accident. His physical tools are almost completely unmatched – of true power forwards, no player selected in the top 15 has ever hit as high on the max vertical reach in the combine (12’1.5″) and his blend of size and speed is as close to unique as you can get at the power forward position. Some critic will surely pan me for reminiscing about my own articles, but nonetheless: I wrote while we were still debating between him and DeMarcus Cousins that Favors has the chance to be the “next” prototypical power forward in a game that’s quickly shifting towards athleticism, and I still believe that. He has the potential to be the John Wall/Derrick Rose/Russell Westbrook of the 4, the evolutionary power forward who deftly combines God-given athletic ability with “hard work” (which should be copyrighted by Derrick at some point) and a deep knowledge of the game of basketball. Trading him when the Nets are so clearly focused on his future as a part of the rebuilding process would seem foolhardy, a step backwards for a team that needs to develop its identity.
The Final Verdict
Despite Fred Kerber’s article naming Brook Lopez as the lone untouchable, If it comes down to giving up Derrick Favors or not getting Carmelo Anthony, I would choose to keep Derrick Favors every time. Carmelo Anthony is an established star, but Derrick’s ceiling is higher than what Melo does now – he may never have the flashy points per game numbers but if he develops he’ll impact the game in multiple ways that Melo has never been able to do. Carmelo may have been the 3rd pick in 2003, but this is 2010 – and the 3rd pick this year has a bright, bright future with the New Jersey Nets. I just hope the front office feels the same way.
