"Depending on how you look at it, the New Jersey Nets are either in a precarious position or a propitious one.

Less than a year from now, they will play their first game as the Brooklyn Nets in the brand new Barclays Center. When that happens, they could possibly have two top-10 players under contract for the next five years ... or they could have none.

Deron Williams' agent Jeff Schwartz has let the Nets know that his client won't be accepting their offer of a contract extension, and he'll likely also be declining his player option for the 2012-13 season to become a free agent next summer. So general manager Billy King is at risk of losing the guy he traded two top-three picks for before Williams even plays 80 games for the Nets.

As it stands, King isn't close to considering any trade offers for his star point guard, for good reason.

"Based on the new rules it doesn't make any sense for [Williams] to sign the extension," Schwartz told The Record last week. "It has nothing to do with how much he likes New Jersey. Because of the rules he's going to play the season out and probably opt out of his deal.""