Every team in the NBA has until Feb. 19 to make trades with a few big-name players potentially on the move, but teams aren’t wasting any time with perhaps the biggest trade of the season already having been made.
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Rajon Rondo is now with the Dallas Mavericks and the next substantial move was thought to be Deron Williams being traded to the Sacramento Kings. Although there’s still plenty of time to get a deal done that would send Williams back to the Western Conference, Chris Broussard of ESPN The Magazine reports the deal is virtually dead:
Sources: Sac's main target on Nets was Mason Plumlee, not DWill. With Nets unwilling to give up Plumlee, talks virtually dead
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) December 23, 2014
Williams may have been the biggest name in the proposed deal, but Mason Plumlee appears to be the player the Kings were after. Plumlee is currently putting up decent numbers for a role player. In 18.4 minutes per contest, Plumlee is averaging 8.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Williams is chipping in with 15.4 points and 6.8 assists.
With Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins coming into their own this season, the Kings have an opportunity to build their own big three with the addition of Williams. Sacramento struggled without Cousins over the last 13 games, but with the star center on the floor, this team has shown potential to be a playoff contender in a highly competitive Western Conference.
The Lakers have flirted with the idea of bringing in Williams in the past, but it seems highly unlikely they’ll make a play for him at this point in his career. Williams’ numbers have been on the decline ever since he re-signed with the Brooklyn Nets.
Williams’ time with Brooklyn may be coming to an end with the team seemingly prepared to start over once again. The Nets appear intent or at least open to the idea of trading Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez.
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