WILLIAMS JOINS LONDON-BOUND NETS
The New Jersey Nets missed out on Carmelo Anthony. But they will be bringing a NBA All Star to London next week after agreeing a trade with the Utah Jazz for Deron Williams.
The Nets are sending Devin Harris, plus prize rookie Derrick Favors, to the Jazz in return for the Team USA point guard.
The deal is also set to involve the Nets sending Troy Murphy to the Golden State Warriors with the Jazz receiving two additional draft choices, New Jersey’s 2011 pick and Golden State’s 2012 pick.
“We feel that we’ve addressed a current need at point guard with Deron’s departure, as well as the future with draft picks and a big man,†said Jazz GM Kevin O’Connor.
“To do so we had to give up an All-Star, but we feel like this is a win for both sides.â€
The move will lend a much-needed star attraction to next week’s double-header in London between the Nets and the Toronto Raptors.
Williams, who would likely be in the USA line-up for next year’s Olympic Games in the city, is currently averaging a career-high 21.3 points and 9.7 assists per game.
Harris heads to Utah
“This is not a Plan B,” Nets coach Avery Johnson said. “It was just one that wasn’t announced. One that nobody got until recently. He’s not a Plan B. He’s a Plan A also. We’ve been working on this for a while.”
The 26-year-old was recently implicated to Jerry Sloan’s decision to resign as Utah’s head coach after the pair reportedly had a series of bust-ups.
Harris, who had expressed an interest in a second spell at the Dallas Mavericks, Â is averaging 15.0 points and 7.6 assists this season.
Favors, the third overall pick in the past NBA Draft, is averaging 6.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in an underwhelming rookie campaign.
The roster shake-up ahead of Thursday night’s deadline will see a revamp for the Nets before their trans-Atlantic trip.
The Nets are scheduled to arrive in the UK on Tuesday with Williams getting three games this coming weekend – starting Friday’s trip to San Antonio – to acclimitatise.
Earlier, James Johnson was handed a trip back to the UK after he was traded from the Chicago Bulls to Torontoin exchange for Miami’s 2011 regular first-round draft choice held by the Raptors.
Johnson scored 18 points including a game-winning buzzer-beater in a thrilling 102-101 win for the Bulls against the Jazz in London in October 2009. He recently played for D-League side Iowa Energy, under GB assistant coach Nick Nurse.
Images: NBA/Getty
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