New Jersey Nets wing Terrence Williams could be headed to the Houston Rockets in a three-way trade involving the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Report: Nets Discussing Trade To Send Terrence Williams To Rockets
Williams, the Nets' lottery pick in 2009, has had friction with Nets coach Avery Johnson, and earlier this season became the first NBA player demoted to the D-League for disciplinary reasons. He has been on the edge of Johnson's rotation in New Jersey, losing minutes to free agent pick-up Travis Outlaw and defender Quinton Ross, among others.
In the proposed trade, Williams would look like find a spot in the NBA under the watchful eye of Rick Adelman. Williams would be reunited with Courtney Lee, a teammate on the awful 2009-10 Nets, and would have to find minutes behind Shane Battier, Kevin Martin, Lee and Chase Budinger.
Sasha Vujacic would go to the Nets in the deal as reported by Wojnarowski, and veteran Joe Smith would be sent back to Los Angeles. Smith and Vujacic have expiring contracts; Williams is owed $2.4 million next season, with a $3.1 million team option available for the 2012-13.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle also reports that the Rockets would send New Jersey a second-round draft pick, and has a deal in place to move seldom-used Jermaine Taylor in order to clear a roster spot for Williams.
Vujacic has fallen out of favor in L.A., appearing predominantly in garbage time these days. He had a major role on the Lakers' 2007-08 Finals team, averaging 20 minutes a game in the postseason. But Lakers coach Phil Jackson has relied more on Shannon Brown over the last two seasons and change.
Smith, a 15-year veteran, signed a minimum-value contract with New Jersey this summer, and has been submerged deep on Johnson’s bench since the first week of the season. It’s unclear whether he would stay on L.A.‘s roster or be waived at some point.
See More:
