Brooklyn Retains Franchise Centerpiece

The Nets will debut in Brooklyn with a pair of All-Stars in their backcourt.

Point guard Deron Williams has rejected an opportunity to play in his hometown of Dallas to remain with the Nets after signing a five-year $98 million deal.

Brooklyn added its third significant piece in as many days, after resigning small forward Gerald Wallace and acquiring shooting guard Joe Johnson in a trade with Atlanta, it landed the piece it wanted the most by retaining Williams.

The 28-year-old announced his intentions of remaining with the Nets through his Twitter account.

As the team prepares to move into the $1 billion Barclays Center, Williams is the player the team plans to build its marketing campaign behind.

After Williams sent his tweet, 500 season tickets for the Nets were sold.

The rebuilding process may not be complete in Brooklyn, as the team is still hoping to land Orlando center Dwight Howard in a trade to complete a successful summer.

Even without Howard, the Nets identity throughout the league was shifted with the signing of Williams.

Previously, the Nets only acquired talent through the draft or making trades.

When Carmelo Anthony became available, the team spent months trying to strike a deal with Denver, hoping to land a superstar in his prime for the first time since Jason Kidd was on the team.

Deron Williams is the most significant free agent signing in Nets history.

Immediately after Anthony was shipped to New York, the Nets took action.

The team dealt for Williams, even without a long-term contract in place, hoping to have enough time to persuade the three-time All-Star to remain with the team.

After years of acquiring draft picks in hopes of landing a star out of college, the Nets scrapped a long-term rebuilding project by pursuing a star in his prime.

In a trade with Utah, the Nets sent former All-Star Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, the second overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft, the pick used to select Enes Kanter with the third overall of the 2011 NBA Draft and a future first rounder just for Williams.

The Nets had the most to lose if the league was locked out last season, as Williams only played 13 games after the trade, sitting out the teams final five games because of a wrist injury.

They lost each game without Williams in the lineup.

With Johnson already in the mix, Brooklyn is hoping to have plenty of talent for one of the most prolific distributors in the league to target with his precise passes.

Much like its pursuit of Anthony that yielded Williams, the Nets grew tired of failed negotiations with Orlando for Howard and instead landed Johnson in a deal with the Hawks.

No significant free agent had ever signed with the Nets since they joined the NBA in 1976.

By spurning the Mavericks, Williams turned Brooklyn into a destination.

Deron Williams averaged 21 points, 8.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game for the Nets last season.

When Howard demanded a trade just prior to the start of free agency this summer, it was reported only one team was on his wish list: the Nets.

Although the Magic ultimately can control where Howard plays next season, he has already announced his intentions to test free agency next season, unless he is dealt to Brooklyn.

Even without Howard on the team, the Nets have continued to round out their roster.

The team agreed to terms with Mirza Teletovic, a  6-foot-9 power forward that averaged averaged 15.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 41 games for Caja Laboral in Spain.

Teletovicis a member of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national team and was signed with Brooklyn’s mid-level exception.

With the rest of their roster still in question, especially with Howard still available through a trade, the Nets could still revamp its roster before making their debut in Brooklyn.

Williams has proven he can play on the biggest stage, as he has averaged 21.7 points and 9.6 assists in 44 career playoff games, the Nets are just hoping he can guide them to the post season for the first time since 2007.

By retaining Williams, the Nets are moving as a legitimate NBA organization, the entire reason it abandoned New Jersey for Brooklyn.