The Nets were in the transitional off-season from New Jersey to Brooklyn. In the seasons prior, general manager Billy King failed to trade for superstars Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony to accommodate then All-Star point guard Deron Williams, who the Nets were signing to a max-deal. This was during ownership’s spend-money-get stars-take over New York phase. The Nets were desperately looking for a big name to bring in.
The Nets traded Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, DeShawn Stevenson, Jordan Williams, Johan Petro, Houston’s 2013 first-round pick, and the Nets’ 2017 second-round pick (and a right to swap, we all learned about later) to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for then-six-time All-Star shooting guard Joe Johnson.