Thu, Mar 15, 2012 at 2:12pm

GERALD WALLACE HEADS TO THE NETS

The New Jersey Nets acquired forward Gerald Wallace from the Portland Trail Blazers for center Mehmet Okur, forward Shawne Williams and a protected first-round pick in the 2012 draft.

What does it give the New Jersey Nets
Adding Wallace not only gives the Nets a big upgrade at small forward, it could help them in convincing {P Deron Williams} to stay in New Jersey when his contract can be opted out of in the summer. Wallace is a star-caliber forward who has another year on his contract after this one, so his acquisition should help Jersey brass in their pitch to Williams. The Nets do have surprising {P Gerald Green} playing well at the 3-spot lately, but he is far from proven and now likely takes a lesser role with Wallace aboard. Losing a first-rounder is tough for a young team, but the Nets can keep it in 2012 if they land a top-3 selection.

What does it give the Portland Trail Blazers
The first-round pick is a nice building block for a Portland team that may be out of the West playoff picture soon. The Blazers have been looking for a way to let gifted up-and-comer {P Nicolas Batum} play big minutes at his natural small forward position, and this move opens up the spot for him. This also allows the team to get {P Wesley Matthews} back in the starting five (at shooting guard) and they move Wallace's big salary in the process. Don't look for Okur or Williams to be very active in Portland, as both are currently injured and their expiring contracts represent about $14 million of salary freed up in the summer.

Fantasy impact