New Jersey Nets Trade Rumors

Nets lose newcomer Bogans for season
February 10
New York Post
 
"The Nets' injury situation went from ridiculous to absurd on Thursday as yet another player, Keith Bogans, is lost for the season. Signed by the Nets as a free agent on Feb. 1, Bogans suffered a fractured left ankle and a complete tear of the left deltoid ligament in a freak on-court accident with 2:27 left in Wednesday's 99-92 loss to the Pistons in Newark. Bogans will undergo surgery on Monday. In five games with New Jersey, Bogans has averaged 4.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 18.8 minutes."
Nets have Dwight stuff to deal for Howard
February 3
New York Post
 
"Raise your hand if you've heard this before: The Nets view their chances to eventually land Dwight Howard as anywhere from "favorable" to "confident" to plain old "good." All those who remember the Knicks' pursuit of Carmelo Anthony last season, put your hands down. But the Nets like where they are. The Magic have tried everything to keep Howard, 26, but little suggests the franchise center is amenable to remaining in central Florida. The Orlando Sentinel reported that, despite Howard's recent endorsements of the Bulls and Celtics, his preferred landing spots remain the Nets, Lakers and Mavericks. There will be talk, but the Nets do not expect Howard to be dealt before All-Star weekend,"
Nets lose Damion James for rest of season
January 25
New York Post
 
"Yes, it can get worse for the Nets. It got worse yesterday when the Nets announced forward Damion James is lost for the remainder of the season. James underwent surgery on his right foot at Indiana University Health Hospital in Indianapolis to repair aggravation to a previous fracture in his fifth metatarsal. Dr. David Porter performed the procedure, which included replacing a screw originally inserted after James broke his foot in December last season."
Williams could be Lakers' safety Net
January 21
L.A. Daily News
 
"If the Lakers do not trade for Dwight Howard before the March 15 deadline, and all signs point to them taking a pass if it means sending Andrew Bynum and/or Pau Gasol to get him, there could be another possible deal to be made. Deron Williams could be available in a trade if his team, the New Jersey Nets, can't complete a deal with the Orlando Magic for Howard. Williams would like to stay with the Nets if they acquire Howard, according to ESPN The Magazine. The Lakers tried and failed to address their need to upgrade at point guard when they sought to acquire Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets last month. Williams could be the next best option, if the Nets decide to trade him."
Report: Mavs 'likeliest landing spot' for Deron Williams in free agency
January 21
Dallas Morning News
 
"The New Jersey Nets hope to hang on to their superstar point guard, Deron Williams, beyond this year. But as the Nets wallow at the bottom of the Eastern Conference again, whispers are growing louder that Williams won't stick around with his current club unless it brings in another star to play alongside him -- like Orlando's Dwight Howard. And according to ESPN's Chris Broussard, the Mavericks are a good bet to land the guard if he makes it to free agency. "A native of Dallas, Williams is also fond of the idea of playing for the Mavericks," Broussard wrote. "Dallas lacks the pieces to pull off a trade, but if Williams becomes a free agent and the Nets don't get Howard, the Mavericks, who"
Nets' Deron Williams has wish list
January 21
ESPN.com
 
"Deron Williams' first choice is to stay with the Nets and to build something special in Brooklyn, but if it doesn't work out with his current team, his short list of desirable destinations includes the Mavericks, the Knicks and the Lakers, according to sources close to the situation. While the league's post-lockout trade buzz has been centered on Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, little attention has been paid to Williams, who like Howard can opt out of his contract and become a free agent after this season. Williams has publicly stated his desire to re-sign with the Nets, and New Jersey, which views him as a building block for next season's move to Brooklyn, has refused to entertain potential"
Nets' Deron Williams has wish list
January 20
ESPN.com
 
"Deron Williams' first choice is to stay with the Nets and to build something special in Brooklyn, but if it doesn't work out with his current team, his short list of desirable destinations includes the Mavericks, the Knicks and the Lakers, according to sources close to the situation. While the league's post-lockout trade buzz has been centered on Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, little attention has been paid to Williams, who like Howard can opt out of his contract and become a free agent after this season. Williams has publicly stated his desire to re-sign with the Nets, and New Jersey, which views him as a building block for next season's move to Brooklyn, has refused to entertain potential"
Will Lakers try for Deron Williams?
January 19
ESPN.com
 
"Deron Williams emerged from the training room looking tired and drawn. While reporters huddled around teammates Kris Humphries and Jordan Farmar, Williams sat quietly at his locker, holding his cell phone and stroking the bottom of his goatee. He was too upset to get dressed or soak his feet in the ice bucket in front of him, or to read through any of his texts. This season isn't even a month old, but it's obviously wearing already on Williams. His New Jersey Nets have lost 11 of their first 14 games after Monday's listless 101-91 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Center Brook Lopez is out another couple of months with a broken foot. Dwight Howard isn't arriving anytime soon, if at all."
Grizzlies talking to Nets about O.J. Mayo trade
January 15
Memphis Commercial Appeal
 
"The Grizzlies are again discussing whether to deal reserve guard O.J. Mayo. This time, Memphis has explored at least two trade scenarios with the New Jersey Nets over the past couple of weeks, according to two NBA sources. Yahoo Sports first reported the talks. The Nets are interested in acquiring Mayo for salary-cap reasons as they try to clear room to make a run at Orlando center Dwight Howard in the offseason. With that in mind, the Nets have offered fourth-year guard Anthony Morrow for Mayo. Morrow, a 6-5 shooting guard, will earn $4 million this year and is guaranteed for $4 million next season. Mayo is making $5.6 this season — the final year of his rookie contract. He has a $7.4"
Nets in hunt for Mayo: sources
January 15
New York Post
 
"The Nets could pull the trigger on a deal for guard O.J. Mayo, according to league sources familiar with the thinking of the Nets and Grizzlies. Just two days after sources said talks between the Nets and Grizzlies for a trade involving Mayo had fizzled out, a published report said the two teams are talking again. The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported the Nets have offered two scenarios for Mayo — Anthony Morrow in one deal or Jordan Farmar and a pick in another. But one source said there wasn't anything "right now" but that the Nets could do a deal if they wanted. The Commercial Appeal said it the other way that the decision was in the hands of the Grizzlies."
Howard doesn't expect trade in near future, if at all
January 9
Yahoo! Sports
 
"Dwight Howard thinks he'll represent the Orlando Magic at this year's All-Star Game in Orlando – and he doubts he'll be switching uniforms at all this season in spite of his desire to be traded. Howard has not rescinded his trade request, but he told Yahoo! Sports he thinks there's a "100 percent" chance the Magic won't trade him before the Feb. 26 All-Star Game at the team's Amway Center. Team officials still hope to convince Howard to commit to staying with the franchise for the long term. "I don't think they are going to do anything right now because we're winning," Howard said after a 104-97 victory over the Sacramento Kings improved the Magic's record to 6-3. "Even if this is the"
Brook Lopez: No return set yet
January 8
ESPN.com
 
"New Jersey Nets center Brook Lopez says he's confident that his rehab is going in the right direction, but did not offer a timetable as to when he'll return from a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot. "I'm doing well," Lopez told reporters following the first quarter of Saturday night's game against the Miami Heat. "We just took an X-ray 30 minutes ago, and it came out negative." Lopez is currently wearing a boot over his right foot. He thinks he'll be able to get the boot off in about a week, and that's "too long," he added. Lopez is doing a lot of upper body work right now, and plans to get in the pool this week to do some work on an underwater treadmill. He hopes that next"
Dwight Howard's trade plan: It's complicated
January 8
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The truest mission statement for the Magic is not about winning a title this season. It's about keeping Dwight Howard in town. Can't accomplish one without the other, anyway. To update, as of Thursday, nothing has changed on the Howard trade front, according to Magic brass. He still wants to be dealt (and after watching his team get hammered by the Bulls, he might have taken a parachute with him aboard the team charter for the West Coast trip). And something else hasn't changed: Dwight still holds all the cards. His ultimate leverage: telling whatever team the Magic have on the phone that he will or will not sign a contract extension with it. As we know, Howard's choice of teams are the"
NJ Nets have interest in trading for disgruntled Kings center DeMarcus Cousins as Brook Lopez still injured
January 4
New York Daily News
 
"The Nets are getting Kris Humphries back sooner than expected, but that's not stopping them from pursuing a risky personality for a frontcourt upgrade. According to a league source, the Nets are looking to trade for Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, who earlier this week had a falling-out with Sacramento coach Paul Westphal. It's unclear if the Kings are ready to deal Cousins — the No. 4 pick in 2010 out of Kentucky — but the team released a statement Sunday condemning the 21-year-old for his lack of commitment to the club while stating he demanded a trade."
Williams Looking for Teammates and Continuity
December 29
New York Times
 
"The speculation about whether Williams will re-sign with the Nets after the season and continue to be the face of the franchise in its transition to Brooklyn has been rampant. Unfortunately the team's flaws were apparent in a 106-70 loss to Atlanta on Tuesday night. At a party for him in SoHo after the game he made it clear that the team needed to improve. "We need some more pieces," he said. "There's no secret about that. There's not many starters on our team right now. We have a lot of great role players, a lot of guys who know their job, but in this league you need some top-tier guys so you can get the job done." The Nets made an aggressive push to add the All-Star center Dwight Howard"
Magic want veterans, not to rebuild after Howard
December 28
ESPN.com
 
"Precisely when the Orlando Magic might be willing to trade Dwight Howard is not yet clear. It's obviously not going to happen fast enough for New Jersey Nets fans, who serenaded their team with chants of "We Want Howard" during a humbling home defeat to the Atlanta Hawks at the Prudential Center on Tuesday night. In the Nets' home opener. However ... There is at least a fairly clear sense out there about what the Magic would eventually want in exchange for Howard if they decide, as widely expected between now and the March 15 deadline, to make sure they get something for their face of the franchise as opposed to risking the possibility that the Team USA center bolts Orlando in July with"
Nets lose Brook Lopez to foot surgery, trade for Mehmet Okur
December 23
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Brook Lopez, the linchpin to the Nets' season — and perhaps their future — is scheduled to undergo surgery Friday morning to repair a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot. The Nets gave no timetable on how long Lopez will be out, but recovery with this type of injury can take six to 10 weeks. News of the injury came in muted form — a three-sentence statement released by the team just before the start of practice this morning — but sent the Nets scrambling to find a stand-in. By day's end, they had their man. Tonight, the Nets announced they had acquired Mehmet Okur, a 6-11 center, from the Utah Jazz for a 2015 second-round draft pick."
Nets in talks to sign Stevenson
December 21
New York Post
 
"The Nets just may be close to punching a playoff ticket, even without Dwight Howard. The agent for free agent guard DeShawn Stevenson, a gritty hard-nosed defender who won a title with the Mavericks last season, said he is having "serious conversations" with the Nets. "You know how these things go, something could happen in two minutes, two days or not at all," said Mark Bartelstein, Stevenson's agent. "But yes, we have been talking. I would categorize them as serious conversations.""
Andrei Kirilenko hasn't signed with New Jersey, agent says
December 19
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Agent Marc Fleisher denied a report Monday former Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko has signed with New Jersey. "Not true," Fleisher told The Salt Lake Tribune."
Nets keep moving forward
December 18
New York Post
 
"The Nets have added two ex-Knicks named Williams — Shelden and Shawne — and dusted off Damion James following his oft-injured rookie season in their quest to upgrade both forward spots. But the Nets know they must do more. The small forward could be Andrei Kirilenko. The power forward could be Kris Humphries. But in the Nets' world, it's all about Dwight Howard. Multiple league sources contend the Nets have done "virtually nothing" regarding a pursuit of Kirilenko, who is in Russia where he has battled through a shoulder injury and a broken nose."
Gilbert Arenas' free-agent wish list
December 18
ESPN.com
 
"Since Gilbert Arenas cleared waivers last Sunday, you haven't heard his name much. Eventually, though, someone will take a chance on an unrestricted free agent who once averaged better than 25 points per game for three straight seasons. And I'm told that Arenas, in the wake of his Orlando release, has established a four-team wish list for resuming his comeback from the gunplay debacle in Washington that derailed his career and an unsuccessful stint with the Magic. The 29-year-old is holding out hope that the call comes from either the: • Lakers ... • Heat ... • Knicks ... • Or whichever team trades for Dwight Howard. The New Jersey Nets have quietly indicated that they plan to take Arenas"
Nets release Outlaw using amnesty clause
December 15
New York Post
 
"In an expected move, the Nets released forward Travis Outlaw on Thursday afternoon. The Nets chose to use the amnesty clause in the new collective bargaining agreement to eliminate the remaining four years and $28 million owed to Outlaw from their salary cap. The deadline to use the amnesty provision was Friday."
Magic end trade talks for Dwight Howard
December 14
Yahoo! Sports
 
"The Orlando Magic have informed teams that they're ending trade talks for Dwight Howard and plan to start the season with the All-Star center on their roster, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. The Magic's decision came Wednesday after the Nets assembled a multiteam trade proposal for Howard that would have sent the Magic center Brook Lopez, Portland Trail Blazers forward Gerald Wallace, point guard Jordan Farmar and a first-round draft pick. The Nets also would have taken on Chris Duhon and Hedo Turkoglu. The Blazers would have received four draft picks for Wallace. With the framework of a deal in place, talks had reached the ownership level in Orlando, league sources said. Nevertheless,"
Magic stand pat -- for now -- as Dwight Howard trade rumors heat up
December 14
Orlando Sentinel
 
"It appears that the Orlando Magic have decided against trading Dwight Howard for now, because General Manager Otis Smith believes the same offers — and perhaps better ones — still will be available up until the March 15 NBA trade deadline. And perhaps Howard will decide to remain with the Magic. On Wednesday, the Magic passed up an offer from the New Jersey Nets that also involved the Portland Trail Blazers. Orlando would have received at least center Brook Lopez from the Nets and swingman Gerald Wallace from the Blazers. In addition to trading Howard, the Magic would have sent away small forward Hedo Turkoglu and point guard Chris Duhon and their large contracts. "I don't think there's"
Magic tell teams they're not trading Howard
December 14
Yahoo! Sports
 
"The Orlando Magic have informed teams that they're ending trade talks for Dwight Howard and plan to start the season with the All-Star center on their roster, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. The Magic's decision came Wednesday as the Nets tried to assemble a potential four-team trade for Howard that could have included the Magic receiving Nets center Brook Lopez, Portland Trail Blazers forward Gerald Wallace and draft picks."
Sources: Nets chase Dwight Howard
December 14
ESPN.com
 
"The New Jersey Nets have entered into serious talks with the Orlando Magic on a multiteam trade scenario that would bring Dwight Howard to the Nets, according to sources close to the process. Sources told ESPN.com that the most active proposal discussed by the teams would send Portland Trail Blazers swingman Gerald Wallace to the Magic along with Nets center Brook Lopez as two of the main pieces Orlando would receive in exchange for Howard. As part of such a trade, which could be expanded to include a fourth team, sources say Orlando would also shed the long-term contracts of Hedo Turkoglu and Chris Duhon -- both absorbed by New Jersey -- while also potentially receiving future draft"
Nets assembling blockbuster Howard trade offer
December 14
Yahoo! Sports
 
"Talks between the Orlando Magic and New Jersey Nets for a Dwight Howard blockbuster trade have gathered momentum over the past several days, and the framework of a possible four-team deal has taken shape, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Front office sources say Nets general manager Billy King has aggressively pursued the necessary players and picks to try and satisfy Orlando's demands for Howard, one of the league's most dominating and popular players. The biggest hurdle for the Nets to acquire Howard will still ultimately be the Magic's willingness to give up their future with him and concede that re-signing him is a lost cause. Orlando could also decide to keep Howard until the trade"
Dwight Howard's wish list said short
December 13
ESPN.com
 
"While the Orlando Magic are keeping all of their options open, Dwight Howard is not. There are only four teams that Howard would sign a long-term contract with, according to a source close to the situation -- the Magic, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks or Los Angeles Lakers. That severely limits the trade possibilities for Orlando, which has said it will not rule out trading Howard to any of the league's 29 other teams. Without a long-term commitment from Howard, no club is likely to put an enticing offer on the table. Howard's stance essentially relegates the Magic, whose ideal scenario is to re-sign Howard, to trade talks only with the Nets, Mavericks and Lakers. There has been"
Howard wants to be traded to the Nets
December 11
New York Post
 
"Christmas could come early for the Nets. League sources confirmed to The Post last night that Dwight Howard has requested a trade to the Nets, bringing the franchise one step closer to their dream partnership of Howard and star point guard Deron Williams. "You only get one time around," Howard told reporters last night in Orlando. "You get one chance at this. You can't press the reset button. "Once this is done — once I'm done playing — I can't turn back the hands of time and play again.""
Dwight Howard has requested a trade from the Orlando Magic
December 11
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Orlando Magic are confronting their worst nightmare. Dwight Howard has asked for a trade. "You only get one time around," Howard said Saturday night at Amway Center. "You can't press the reset button. It's not 'Call of Duty,' where when you die, you get back up. Once this is done — once I'm done playing — I can't turn back the hands of time and play again." Howard, a 6-foot-11 center who was drafted by the team in 2004, did not give many specific reasons for his choice, but he indicated that he is not happy with the franchise's on-court direction. He also said he wanted more of a "voice" in team decisions. "They know how I feel," Howard said, referring to the team's management."
Nets get permission to talk to Howard: report
December 10
New York Post
 
"It has been an interesting couple of days for the Nets. In the last 48 hours, the Nets lost out on three of their top-rated free agent targets but moved to the cusp of signing a fourth, Denver's Nene. They were rumored to be preparing to welcome Dwight Howard into the fold through a trade demand purportedly initiated by the Orlando superstar, but then were fingered as potential tampering culprits for an alleged clandestine meeting with the All-Star center. And then the tampering charges and supposed meetings were denied by most everyone, including by Howard's agent, who came forth and declared he and Howard, with Orlando's permission, have spoken to the Nets in phone calls, not in"
Dwight Howard trade talks include Brook Lopez, though center hopes to stay with Nets
December 10
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Brook Lopez lingered, shooting free throws after practice at the PNY Center in East Rutherford, but he didn't hide. When it was time to face the questions about the reports that have him headed to the Orlando Magic in a possible trade for Dwight Howard, the Nets' starting center for the past three years walked over to reporters, sat down and answered them. "It comes with the business," Lopez said of the reported trade that would send Lopez and two first-round picks to the Magic for Howard and Hedo Turkoglu. "What are you going to do, you know? I mean, it was a crazy enough summer to begin with — there was rumors everywhere. So I guess it's a good way, after no basketball (and living"
Nets' Travis Outlaw still with team, but he may soon be an amnesty victim
December 10
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Travis Outlaw remains on the Nets' roster, despite the belief by many he will be waived under the new amnesty provision that would allow the Nets to delete his $7 million annual salary from their salary cap. The 6-9 forward struggled last season in the first year of a five-year contract, but the Nets have not exercised the amnesty clause on Outlaw yet because they want to see what free agents they are able to sign during the free-agent period. Currently, the Nets are attempting to sign a big man and a small forward, but if they are unable to land the players they want, they may need to hold on to Outlaw's contract. Teams must spend at least 80 percent of the $58.044 million salary cap."
Dwight Howard's agent: No tampering
December 10
ESPN.com
 
"Dan Fegan, the agent for Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, dismissed reports his client had illegal contact with the New Jersey Nets, saying Howard had received permission to explore potential trades. Magic GM Otis Smith confirmed to ESPN the Magazine on Friday night that he granted permission to Fegan to speak to the Nets about a deal involving Howard. Fegan read the following prepared statement over the phone to The Magazine: "I read reports today of a meeting between Dwight Howard, his representatives and the New Jersey Nets which claimed, according to the story's anonymous sources, that such a meeting violated the NBA's tampering policies. This story is clearly inaccurate with"
Magic give Dwight's representatives permission to speak to the Lakers, Mavericks and Nets
December 10
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith has given permission for Dwight Howard's representatives to discuss Howard's long-term future with three other teams, Howard's agent said. Joel Glass, the Magic's chief spokesman, told the Orlando Sentinel that Smith first granted that permission on Friday night to the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Jersey Nets. That permission, Glass, said, came after a meeting that an ESPN report said took place between Howard and Nets Owner Mikhail Prokhorov and Nets General Manager Billy King on Thursday night in Miami without the Magic's knowledge or permission. Howard told reporters he did not meet with the Nets. And Nets General Manager"
Sources: Nets, Howard met in Miami
December 9
ESPN.com
 
"The New Jersey Nets met with Dwight Howard Thursday night in a move that would be a violation of the league's tampering rules, according to multiple sources. Howard met with Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and general manager Billy King in Miami, sources said. Howard was joined by a few business associates. The meeting violates the NBA's tampering rules because Howard's current team, the Orlando Magic, did not know about the meeting or give the Nets permission to meet with him, according to the sources."
Report: Dwight Howard wants trade to the New Jersey Nets
December 9
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Dwight Howard's representatives have told the New Jersey Nets that they are his first choice and that he plans to ask the Orlando Magic for a trade, ESPN reported early Friday morning. Howard's agent, Dan Fegan, who has not commented publicly on Howard's status, did not immediately return a message from the Orlando Sentinel seeking comment. Neither did Kevin Samples, Howard's manager. Howard can become a free agent after the 2011-12 season, and speculation has been rampant about his intentions. He has declined to discuss his long-term plans publicly in recent weeks, and it's unknown what, exactly, he has told Magic officials, although he has been in contact with them in recent days."
Free-agent buzz: Bulls lead Butler suitors
December 8
Yahoo! Sports
 
"As Caron Butler(notes) completes his personal tour of NBA suitors, the Chicago Bulls remain the team to beat for him, league sources said. Butler left his meeting with the Bulls earlier this week with a deep appreciation for coach Tom Thibodeau, sources said. Butler's willingness to possibly take less money from a championship contender is made easier with his personal business holdings. Butler, 31, has also met with the Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs and New Jersey Nets this week. The Clippers and Nets have room underneath the salary cap to offer Butler more than the $5 million midlevel exception."
Report: Free agent forward Caron Butler met with Nets on Wednesday
December 8
Dallas Morning News
 
"First it was the Chicago Bulls , then the L.A. Clippers, then the San Antonio Spurs. Now, add the New Jersey Nets to the list of teams Caron Butler has met with this offseason. According to a report by the New York Daily News , Butler met with Nets officials on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of teaming up with The Colony's Deron Williams in New Jersey. Though the Nets finished 24-58 last season, tied for the fifth-worst record in the NBA, the team is under the salary cap, meaning it could offer Butler more than Chicago or San Antonio. Because both the Bulls and Spurs are over the cap, the most they can offer Butler is the $5 million per year mid-level exception."
Deron Williams: 90 percent chance I stay with the Nets
December 7
Dallas Morning News
 
"In the Mark Cuban era, the Mavs have never once had any cap room, let alone the sort of cap room needed to make a significant free agent acquisition. The Mavs seem intent on changing that, even if it means letting a few of their own key players leave. With a slew of contracts set to expire at the end of the season, the Mavericks could potentially be far enough under the NBA salary cap to make a run at one of the big-name free agents -- Chris Paul, Dwight Howard or Deron Williams -- that could hit the market. In order to do that, they might have to let their own free agents like Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea go elsewhere. But that trio of big free agents next year could really be more like"
Avery: If Deron stays put Nets will be contenders
December 7
New York Post
 
"As the countdown to July 1 and Deron Williams' eventual opt-out begins, coach Avery Johnson said he understands that it's up to the Nets to prove to their star point guard that he should stick around. "We'd rather be in this situation, where there is some more pressure to continue to build our roster, than just to be a team that's a lottery team every year that's always rebuilding," Johnson said yesterday at his first press conference of the season. "At some point, you've got to stop rebuilding and really get in the process of becoming a playoff team.""
Deron Williams open to Nets deal
December 6
ESPN.com
 
"New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams may be opting out of his contract at the end of the 2011-12 season, but no need to worry. Williams doesn't plan on leaving. "My plan is to stay," Williams said during an interview with WFAN radio Monday. "Hopefully we get some good talent in here to where I can stay." Williams estimated that his chances of staying are "90 percent." Williams seemed to dispel any rumors of joining Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire with the New York Knicks. "That would be very unlikely," Williams said."
Caron Butler, Clippers to meet again
December 6
ESPN.com
 
"Free agent small forward Caron Butler's meeting with the the Los Angeles Clippers went so well Monday night, the two sides decided to talk again on Tuesday morning, according to Butler's agent. "Caron was really happy with the meeting," Butler's agent Raymond Brothers said. "We were really impressed by (general manager) Neil Olshey and (coach) Vinny Del Negro. I think they've got a good young team that can win. Caron had a really good feeling about it." Brothers said that Butler met with the Chicago Bulls Monday morning and still plans to travel to San Antonio to meet with the Spurs Tuesday afternoon. ESPNDallas.com's Jeff Caplan reported Sunday night that he is also expected to meet with"
Nets' fortunes could improve with free agent moves
December 6
NBA.com
 
"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"
Deron has 'strong feeling' he's staying with Nets
December 6
New York Post
 
"Those shouts of joy emanating around New Jersey and reverberating to Brooklyn Monday were from the Nets hierarchy after they no doubt heard Deron Williams' take on all things Nets, not the least of which is his future with the team. "It's a strong possibility, I have a strong feeling that I'll re-sign here," said Williams who has said he intends to opt out at the end of the season when he can re-sign a five-year deal with the Nets for $100 million, some $42 more than if he signed an extension and about $25 million more than if he opted out and went somewhere else. And the easiest, though certainly not the only way to keep Williams? Get Dwight Howard. "That would be enough to convince me,""
Source: Caron Butler has 4 meetings set
December 5
ESPN.com
 
"Caron Butler begins a busy week Monday with at least four visits lined up to teams interested in signing the Dallas Mavericks' free-agent forward. Butler will visit with team officials from the Chicago Bulls on Monday morning, followed by trips to sit down with officials from the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday and possibly the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, a source close to the situation confirmed Sunday night. The source said that those teams understand that Butler, 31, is not interested in a one-year contract, the length favored by the Mavs to bring back the nine-year veteran."
Josh Howard drawing interest in free agency
December 4
Washington Post
 
"Josh Howard may have struggled with a left knee injury the past two seasons in Washington, but he has attracted considerable attention with the free agent signing period set to begin on Friday. The Wizards and "five to six" playoff contenders have expressed interest in Howard, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Another person close to Howard confirmed that Boston, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, San Antonio, Denver, New Orleans and New Jersey have all made obligatory calls, with the Wizards, Bulls and Spurs engaging in more frequent conversations."
Arron is one popular Afflalo
December 2
ESPN.com
 
"It's been a familiar refrain from a handful of front-office types during the first few days of the NBA's gradual return to offseason normalcy: Denver's Arron Afflalo is a popular choice when you ask execs to pinpoint the most attractive free agent outside of the big men. Afflalo's Denver teammate Nene, Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler, New Orleans Hornets forward David West and Memphis Grizzlies restricted free agent Marc Gasol are universally seen as the most coveted players on the open market. But Afflalo, with a blossoming offensive game to go with his more polished D, has his own growing group of admirers if you listen to the GM grapevine. Sources told ESPN.com that the Chicago"
Deron Williams opting out at end of season
December 2
New York Post
 
"Would you walk away from more than $42 million? Neither will Deron Williams. Williams' agent, Jeff Schwartz, informed the Nets that his superstar point guard client will not sign a two-year extension, but instead will opt out of his contract at the end of the season. Assuming he re-signs with the Nets after his opt out, Williams would earn $42,711,249 over extending. Was this a trick question? "Jeff and I had spoken about Deron's contract situation and I am very comfortable with their decision," general manager Billy King said. There are numerous avenues open to Williams, who tweeted: "Don't know why people are tripping just bc I'm opting out doesn't mean that I won't resign with the nets!"