Report: Deron Williams will only choose between Dallas and Brooklyn

They are the obvious choices, and now, it would appear, they are the only choices.

ESPN’s Marc Stein reports:

When NBA free agency begins at midnight July 1, Brooklyn Nets star guard Deron Williams will be choosing from a two-team list that only features the Nets and the Dallas Mavericks, according to sources close to the situation.

Sources told ESPN.com on Saturday night that, while this summer’s No. 1 free agent remains “up in the air” about which team he’ll ultimately chose, Williams already has made the decision to narrow his list of potential destinations to those two franchises.

via Deron Williams only interested in signing with Brooklyn Nets or Dallas Mavericks, sources say – ESPN New York.

This has seemingly been the case for a while, but having it confirmed by a source so close to the Mavericks in Stein is significant. Typically a lot of action in terms of both free agency and trades is held up for the biggest move. Teams want to make sure they’re out of the running for a star before making moves for the future. Knowing that it will definitely be one of those two teams makes life easier for the other franchises, of which Stein lists the Blazers, Rockets, Suns, and Lakers as interested parties.

The smart money’s on New Jersey. Which, you know, isn’t that smart at all.

The Nets can offer the most money and years by re-signing Williams under the new CBA, and their move to Brooklyn means more financial opportunities for the All-Star. Stein also reports Williams was scouting a locker at the new Barclay Center on a tour this week. There is every reason to believe that Williams will re-sign with the Nets and make Brooklyn his home, sending Dallas in a drastic new direction for the future.

Some helpful information about the Nets team Williams is so sure of:

• They went 22-44 last year, but that’s OK, because it’s an improvement on the 24-58 record they had the year before. I mean, not much of one, but still!
• Their next best player at the moment is a center with a severe foot injury that limited him all last season and has significant rebounding problems.
• Their next best player would be Gerald Wallace, but he’s opting out into free agency. But that’s OK, because there’s a good chance he’ll re-sign. At age 30.
• They only have six players on roster for next year (assuming they re-sign Lopez in restricted free agency for eight figures), but that’s OK, because one of them is Johan Petro for $3.5 million.
• Their front office has swung out in the past two years in luring LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwight Howard to their team, but that’s OK, because they traded their first-rounder to bring in Gerald Wallace who’s now a free agent last year.

Look, I’m not throwing this stuff out there to bag on the Nets. I want the Nets to be good. It’s good for the league. A New York-Brooklyn rivalry featuring multiple stars would be great for the league. Prokhorov being in the limelight would be hilariously good for the league. But Williams has stated he wants to contend. So why is this team even an option?

I know, I know. Dwight Howard. The plan, apparently, is for the Nets to sign Williams, then sign a bunch of free agents that Orlando wants, then trade those pieces plus Lopez who the Magic are “eh” about in order to get Howard. And that could happen. But is that going to be enough? Do they have anything resembling a supporting cast? Even if Wallace re-signs, is that enough? Is Williams, Howard, Wallace, and a poor supporting cast going to be better than what the Knicks have, let alone Miami?

But that’s where Williams’ mind is at. Dallas represents challenges, too, but it also features Dirk Nowitzki and an owner and management team with a proven track record that won the title a year ago.

Either way, there isn’t a perfect choice. At least Williams can limit that choice down to those two teams, though.

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The Romance Reader: ‘Let Love Find You’

-”Let Love Find You,” by Johanna Lindsey; Gallery Books (384 pages, $25.99 hardcover)/pp One of a best writers of chronological intrigue has once again combined a lightsome story that will invite and delight./pp While Johanna Lindsey’s progressing books tended to be most edgier and intense, in new years a grande lady of chronological intrigue has found a niche with some-more smart and desirable stories, identical to a character of her dear Malory series./pp “Let Love Find You” is partial of a series, of sorts. Amanda is a sister of Rafe, who fell in adore with and married a pleasing Ophelia in “The Devil Who Tamed Her” in 2007. Seven years earlier, readers had met Ophelia and Rafe in “The Heir,” a story of Duncan MacTavish and his adore Sabrina. In 2009, Amanda’s cousin Rupert fell for her crony Rebecca in “A Rogue of My Own.”/pp All of a above characters make appearances in “Let Love Find You,” with Rafe and Ophelia carrying estimable roles./pp “Let Love Find You” continues a trend of a series, an masterfully created story charity readers enchanting characters with a mix of humor, passion and attract churned with a dab of suspense./pp Devin is an intriguing hero. He lives life unapologetically in a center of societies. He is a illegitimate, unclaimed son of a peer, lifted by his aunt and uncle as nation gentry who works as a equine breeder and trainer. He is blunt, honest and refuses to play multitude games./pp He’s also a hunk. And a matchmaker./pp Devin stumbles on a singular approach to find regretful matches for couples, and his repute dubs him a nickname of Cupid. It amuses him./pp Amanda, on a other hand, isn’t amused – by anything about Devin. In her third deteriorate and on a verge of being tagged an aged maid, Amanda is fearful that adore will never find her. Still, when family members try to rivet a services of Cupid, she’s not happy. She doesn’t like his “ungentlemanly” habits of blunt and blunt speech, or a fact that he dared pronounce to her during his stables though his shirt on./pp Actually, she gets to unequivocally like that part./pp Watching Devin and Amanda quarrel their captivate is fun – examination them stoop to it is even some-more fun./pp HOW IT STACKS UP/pp Overall rating: 5 of 5 hearts. While some readers might skip Lindsey’s old, edgier style, she truly excels in gifting readers with charming, fun and enchanting stories featuring characters with usually adequate flaws to make them entertaining. This story is fun, charming, and a delight./pp Hunk appeal: 10, on a verge of 10-plus. While his bluntness and probity is partial of his appeal, it’s also a bit off-putting during times. Still, he’s protective, desirable in his possess way, and fearless. He’s a good man./pp Steamy stage grade: XXXX. A good man./pp Happily-Ever-After: Good. This is maybe a usually debility of a story. After watchful so prolonged for Amanda and Devin to commend their adore for any other, it seems they could have come together with a bit some-more flare. Still, a help gets finished and a addition is a gratifying happily-ever-after./pp ALSO THIS WEEK/pp “The Surprise of Her Life,” by Helen R. Myers (e-book) 3 of 5 hearts. Available a month ago in paperback, readers can still find this as a Harlequin e-book. It’s an easy, fun review with characters you’ll now sympathize with, and like. While Eve and Derek’s “meeting” might be a bit far-fetched, if you’re reading romances for realism you’ve picked a wrong genre. Eve and Derek were former subsequent doorway neighbors, who any pierce several states divided after their ex-spouses cheated with and afterwards married any other. They finish adult relocating to a same state, a same town, a same area – a same unit complex. They tumble in adore and live happily-ever-after. So there’s a bit some-more that happens in between, though it’s all fun./pp ABOUT THE WRITER/pp Lezlie Patterson is a former columnist for The State journal in Columbia, S.C. Readers might send her e-mail atlpatterson@sc.rr.com. To review some-more of her intrigue reviews go to http://lezlie-romance.blogspot.com.

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