With Darrell Armstrong signing with the team this past week, things have changed a little bit on the Nets front.

Officially ending the discussion as to who would be getting playing time with Marcus Williams out with a broken foot, Armstrong obviously will have the lion share of bench minutes until Williams is back to 100%.

However, more importantly, this may end the discussion on the whole Allan Houston situation as well.

Despite the fact that Armstrong is getting on in age, the guy played in 81 games last season with the Pacers and gives the team options that Houston can’t. The guy plays better defense than Houston and even at 39, you know what you’re going to get from him. Who knows what could have happened with Houston.

Signed to a partially guaranteed one-year, $1.2 million contract, Armstrong may have to fight with Williams for playing time once he returns, but I’m sure the Nets are relishing the fact that they’ll have three competent point guards on their roster. The addition of Armstrong may also force Williams to think a little harder about the shots he takes, which could bring his shooting percentage up a bit and make him a better overall player.

On another note…

Reports from the Daily News on Saturday indicate that Nets first round pick Sean Williams is blocking shots all over the place and is looking great thus far. I don’t know you guys feel about this, but I don’t think I can ever remember the Nets having an extremely aggressive and athletic shot-blocker [I was going to say Shawn Bradley, but he was never really athletic]. If Williams does have the goods, he may get a lot more minutes off the bench than everyone thinks this season.

Finally…

Nets Shopping Robinson and Ilic?

According to the Star-Ledger, not only is Mile Ilic on the bubble right now, but he’s slower than his head coach Lawrence Frank. After losing in a scrimmage game during the week, Ilic couldn’t even keep pace with him. Drafted in the second round in 2005, Ilic hasn’t looked anything like a dominant center so far.

All I can say is thank god for Nenad Krstic [If he stays healthy], who makes the option of trading Ilic an easy one.

As far as Robinson goes, I don’t know if he fits into the team’s plans right now and last season, he didn’t get any playing time at all. Considering the fact that during his career he’s proven he can score points off the bench if he gets 15 minutes a game, the Nets may be able to get something decent back if they trade both of these extra wheels.