Trade stock rises for New Jersey Nets'
Derrick Favors
Rookie forward Derrick Favors has recovered from his struggles in the preseason to become a significant contributor to the New Jersey Nets.
Favors, who was drafted third overall in the 2010 NBA Draft, is averaging a near double-double early in the season with 10.5 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting
on a 61.5 percent clip from the field. Four games into the season, he is emerging as a standout in a rookie class that includes John Wall of the Washington Wizards and Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers. He was drafted out of Georgia Tech, where he
played one season and averaged 12.4 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 61.1 percent from field goal range.
Trade bait
According to a report from Ken Berger of CBS Sports, a league executive said that Favors' "stock has skyrocketed" due to his early performance.
In the off-season, the Nets tried to use Favors as trade bait to bring over Denver Nuggets guard Carmelo Anthony. However, the Nuggets were not compelled with the
trade offer the Nets put forward and has since held off trading the All-Star player.
The Nuggets are said to be waiting on what offers they will receive and how the team will perform before making any moves with Anthony.
Competing for minutes
The Nets recently announced that the return of veteran forward Troy Murphy will not have any negative effect on Favors' minutes. In an interview with the Bergen
Record, coach Avery Johnson said, "This whole year is about Favors growing as an NBA player, so his minutes won’t be affected. Whatever minutes he’s been getting, his minutes will stay the same."
In four games this season, Favors is averaging 22 minutes per game. To make room for Favors, the team plans on reducing the minutes for Kris Humphries and Joe Smith.
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