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At another time, in another place, he might have been wounded and melancholic about the turn his professional life has taken.

Nobody is saying this is the new Vince Carter -- actually, his fans want to see the old Vince Carter -- but he is older and wiser and more tolerant of change than he's ever been given credit for.

"I never questioned what they're doing, and I definitely wanted to be here," the Nets' superstar said Wednesday of the team's offseason makeover.

Continue reading "New Jersey Nets' Carter coping well with new role" »

There were 75 campers in Vince Carter's gym today, which is a convenient development, because it gives him an early idea of what it's like to be surrounded by children.

He's even willing to stretch the analogy: "The big old kid," he called himself. "It's one of those things, and I accept it with open arms."

An open mind, anyway. That's good. He's going to need it, with more than half the roster consisting of strangers, and seven of their 15 guys with two years of experience or fewer.

"I never questioned what they're doing, and I definitely wanted to be here," VC said. "It's the way it goes. It's the business of basketball. Sometimes guys get moved who didn't want to, and sometimes guys are thrown into a deal. All those different types of things happen.

Continue reading "New Jersey Nets: Carter's Quandary" »

The New Jersey Nets might be in Jersey longer than expected.

The Daily News reports:

The company that plans to build [the Nets'] new home in Brooklyn acknowledged Monday that the arena may not be open until the 2010-11 season is well underway.

Continue reading "New Jersey Nets' arena faces more delays, report says" »

The New Jersey Nets filled out their coaching staff on Wednesday, hiring Roy Rogers as an assistant coach.

Rogers was an assistant for the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League last season. He spent the previous two years with the Tulsa 66ers after starting his coaching career in 2004 with the Huntsville Flight, now the Albuquerque Thunderbirds.

Continue reading "New Jersey Nets add Roy Rogers as an assistant coach" »

Technically, that French term doesn't mean "goodbye." It means "we'll see you again."

(And belated thanks to Dick Nixon for pointing that out )

But that's how the Nets feel about Nenad Krstic today, because in their heart of hearts, they sincerely believe he will wear their uniform again someday.

Continue reading "NJ Nets: Au revoir, Curly" »

If the numbers being reported on Nenad Krstic's new contract with Club Dynamo Triumph in Moscow sound too good to be true, it's because they are.

According to an agent with ties to the Russian team, Krstic signed a two-year deal this morning that will pay him 2.5 million euros in the first season and 2.6 million in the second. At the current exchange rate, he will pocket $7.9 million over the length of the deal if he stays both seasons, but it's all tax-free.

The Nets, meanwhile, have been curiously silent about losing a guy who started for them for 3½ seasons, but team president Rod Thorn has been out of the country, so they're holding off on any statements.

Unable to come to terms with the Nets by midnight last night, Nenad Krstic became the second Nets player to sign with a Russian team within the past two weeks. Daily News:

The restricted free agent, who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Nets, signed a two-year deal that could be worth $10 million with a team in Moscow Monday night.

Continue reading "Krstic's expected move from the Nets to Russian club becomes official" »

Barring an 11th hour development, Nenad Krstic was preparing to bid at least a temporary farewell to the NBA Monday, when the Serbian center was expected to sign a two-year contract with a team in Moscow, according to Nets officials.

The 25-year-old center would be the second Nets free agent to jump to Russia -- Boki Nachbar signed with a different Moscow team last week -- but Krstic has the team's tacit blessing.

Continue reading "Krstic on the verge of leaving NJ Nets" »

The Nets are about to lose Nenad Krstic - once the jewel of their young player development program - and it doesn't bother them in the least.

The 25-year-old big man is expected to sign a two-year deal with a team in Moscow worth roughly $10 million, he confirmed in an interview this morning with the Serbian-language website Mondo.

And his former employer considers this a win-win situation.

The Nets now don't have to worry about another center-starved NBA team giving him an offer sheet they could be forced to match, they will still retain his rights, and - at a time when they'll be preoccupied with developing the likes of Yi Jianlian and Brook Lopez - Krstic can use the next year or two to get back to the level he played at in 2006-07, before he tore his knee ligament.

Continue reading "NJ Nets: Krstic eyes Europe, with Nets' blessing" »

Nenad Krstic looks like he is headed for Russia, the NY Post's Fred Kerber writes in his blog.

Krstic, a restricted free agent, has a two-year deal in place if the Nets are unable to do a sign and trade by midnight tonight.
A deal with another NBA team seems unlikely, so Krstic would accept the two-year 5.78 million (euros) deal -- which translates to approximately $10 million deal.

Continue reading "NJ Nets' Nenad Krstic could also be headed to Russia, report says" »

At the Nets' practice facility in East Rutherford, a framed jersey belonging to Yi Jianlian, one of the newest Nets, is hanging in the lobby, the most immediate reminder of the transformation the team's roster has undergone this offseason.

The photographs down the hall to the practice court show former Nets in action, and serve notice of how quickly the roster has been purged and rebuilt.

Guard Keyon Dooling was introduced as the newest piece of the Nets Wednesday. Coach Lawrence Frank said the Nets have been redefined by players like Dooling -- known for high character and high energy, as well as competitiveness.

Continue reading "N.J. Nets welcome newest acquisition Dooling" »

Sure you could make a list of everyone's favorite sports venues with Fenway, Wrigley, The Rose Bowl, etc. But how about an accounting of the worst places to watch a game ... now there's a list. SI.com compiled its least fave venues here and New Jersey's beloved Izod Center (sorry, Continental Airlines Arena ... err Brendan Byrne Arena) is on that list. Of the arena, Michael Farber and Richard Deitsch wrote:

A depressing place to watch a game. The empty seats act like kryptonite upon the players, draining the energy and enthusiasm from them.

Continue reading "NJ Nets' Izod Center makes least favorite sports venues list" »

The Nets introduced guard Keyon Dooling today at their practice facility in East Rutherford. The eight-year pro was acquired last Monday in a trade with the Orlando Magic in exchange for cash considerations.

"I'm excited about the prospects of playing with Vince (Carter) and Devin (Harris)," Dooling said.

"This is an organization that wanted me -- (general manager) Kiki (Vandeweghe) reached out to me immediately the first day of free agency. I just have a good feel about coach (Lawrence) Frank and how they see me fitting into their system. I'm looking forward to it."

Continue reading "NJ Nets welcome versatile Dooling" »

Marcus Williams became expendable as soon as the Nets acquired combo guard Keyon Dooling from the Orlando Magic in a sign-and-trade deal on Monday. So Tuesday, minutes after Dooling passed his physical and officially became a Net, Williams became an ex-Net, sent to Golden State for a lottery-protected first-round pick in 2011.

The Nets will get the pick if it is not among the first 14 selections -- that is, if the Warriors do not make the playoffs that spring. If they don't get it that year, they will get it in 2012, provided it is not among the first 11 picks, or in 2013, if it is not among the first 10. If the Nets don't get the pick by 2013, they will get a second-rounder in 2013 and a second-rounder in 2015.

Continue reading "N.J. Nets send Marcus Williams to Warriors for first-round draft pick" »

It appears that Marcus Williams isn't in the Nets' plans after all. The New York Post is reporting that Williams, expected to be in a fight for minutes with recently acquired Keyon Dooling and starting point guard Devin Harris, has been traded to the Golden State Warriors for a future first-round draft pick.

Williams, 22, averaged 5.9 points and 2.6 assists in 53 games for the Nets last season.

The Nets officially acquired guard Keyon Dooling from the Orlando Magic in a sign-and-trade deal on Monday.

The sign-and-trade agreement between the teams was originally reported in The Star-Ledger on Friday.

In exchange for Dooling, the Nets gave the Magic cash and the trade exception they got in the deal that sent Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks.

Continue reading "N.J. Nets' sign-and-trade deal for Dooling is official" »

Small forward Boki Nachbar has agreed to a $14.3 million contract with Moscow Dynamo, ESPN.com is reporting. On July 11, Nachbar told The Star-Ledger's Dave D'Alessandro that he could tell he was not in the Nets' plans. Continue reading "Boki Nachbar leaving NJ Nets for Moscow, report says" »

Rod Thorn is about to fill his most glaring vacancy, and now all he have to do is wait for Orlando to do some clerical work. The Nets have an agreement in principle to make a sign-and-trade deal for free agent Keyon Dooling, a combo guard they have pursued for years, and he'll fit right in as a reserve for starters Vince Carter and Devin Harris.

"I'm hopeful ... that we can make a trade," was Thorn's closest statement resembling a confirmation Friday night.

Continue reading "NJ Nets agree to sign-and-trade for Keyon Dooling" »

Dave, can you please explain why in a million years the Nets would move Sean Williams? The dude is a legit NBA player who will only get better with experience. He could be leading the league in blocks in 2010, just in time for you-know-who to arrive. I would have thrown up if we trade him for Broken Pinky Camby. What was the management thinking?
Dmitry M.

DM: Before you erect a monument for Sean - and there are still a number of people in the organization who know how they'd design such a thing - ask yourself this: Why didn't this kid tear up the summer league? That's just one question they've been asking. He had a good outing against Beasley, but is the learning curve really short enough for him to have impact anytime soon? They're not giving up on him, but some people don't have the patience to sit around and wait for him to grow up. That is why they drafted over him twice (7-0 and 6-10), traded for another 7-footer, and signed a 6-8 free agent.

Continue reading "NJ Nets: Mail's In (Midsummer Edition)" »

It's hard to discern what Jarvis Hayes is facing as he enters the sixth season of a mostly unremarkable career. It could be a rebirth or a last chance. Take your pick.

The new Nets wing, naturally, chooses to describe his new job as closer to the former, and after years of fighting through ceaseless pain he has earned the right to be optimistic.

"I missed basically all of my second and third years," said the 6-8 shooter, who missed 89 games during those two seasons because of recurring knee problems. "Ever since, I've been healthy, but I haven't found the right role for me. Now I'm fully healed -- no recurring injuries, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity."

Continue reading "Healthy attitude gives N.J. Nets' Hayes a fresh outlook" »

You're going to be hearing this a lot in the next few months, and there may be times when you sprint from the room screaming at the mere mention of it.

But "character" is the thing around here now. It's not so much a nod toward the family values crowd as it is a stratagem to make you overlook the fact that they won't be very good for a while. So they'll prop up this new army of really nice kids - all solid citizens, thoughtful and community-conscious lads who are always ready to reach out to the public with their best eats-his-veggies-loves-his-mom grin and a classy, noble bearing.

Continue reading "NJ Nets: The Buzzword" »

To those three people who keep e-mailing about Keyon Dooling (presumably the only three people who aren't at a beach yet -- no names, we'll chastise you privately), this is what you want to know:

The Nets have been in touch with Rob Pelinka, they haven't made an offer for his client, and it's fairly obvious to both sides right now that this probably isn't going to happen unless the market dries up even faster than we thought.

So, can we go on vacation now? Especially since there aren't enough people to get a decent 2-on-2 game together who are actually reading this sentence?

Oh, you need more details: Keyon, of course, saw his market shrink when Orlando signed Pietrus, so his best bet to get into a more aggressive price range would be Golden State (now looking for a starter) and New Orleans (especially if Pargo leaves). They can give him midlevel money.

Meanwhile, the Nets, as you know, handed Eddie Najera a $3.4M jumpoff point, which leaves $2.18 from their MLE to give some worthy recruit.

Continue reading "NJ Nets: Free Agency, Week 3, and Beyond" »

Put this on a scale and weigh it:

On one side, you have the San Antonio Spurs, a monolithic franchise that plays a pugnacious style that is a perfect match for your own; or the New Orleans Hornets, a nascent team that has every component required to make it to June for the next decade.

And on the other side, you have the Nets, a team of children that might not make the playoffs over the length of your four-year contract.

Eduardo Najera, explain yourself.

Continue reading "New Net Najera feels comfortable in New Jersey" »

The Nets continued to fill the blanks in their depth chart yesterday by agreeing to terms with a pair of free-agent role players and stretching their roster to the 15-man limit.

But that doesn't mean they're done dealing, or that they have compromised their plans to make a big splash in 2010.

Continue reading "Nets pick up Najera, Hayes" »

Boki Nachbar just called from Slovenia, mostly to have a chinwag, and to issue his unofficial goodbye.

You've seen it written around here before: This is a special kid, and one of the few adults in the room, so he's dealing with his exile from New Jersey better than others would, even though he was one of the few players who truly loved it here.

But he sensed a few days ago that his time had elapsed.

"I had been talking to Marc (Cornstein) throughout the process, so I was prepared for it," Boki said. "I guess I can only say that it's definitely a sign that I won't be in New Jersey. But it's also a good indicator that I can focus on other teams now.

Continue reading "NJ Nets: Boki Nachbar checks in, checks out" »

The Star-Ledger's Nets beat writer Dave D'Alessandro reports:

The Nets have come to an agreement in principle on contracts for free agents forwards Eduardo Najera and Jarvis Hayes, according to a league official familiar with the negotiations.

Fans on the Nets Forum are weighing in on the deals.

User Rundmc00 says:

Very strange going for Najera and Hayes both. Rod was quoted by Al saying one or the other.

Also have the same agent as Yi, which is even wierder.

Continue reading "The Nets Forum: fans discuss Eduardo Najera and Jarvis Hayes" »

The Nets announced that they have come to an agreement in principle on contracts for free agents forwards Eduardo Najera and Jarvis Hayes, confirming earlier reports.

Najera will receive a four-year contract that will average $3.0 million, but is structured with a smaller salary on the back end so that the team will still have some flexibility in 2010, when they want to play the free agent market.

Hayes will receive the lower-level exception, which prices out to salaries of $1.91 million next season and a partly-guaranteed $2.06 million for 2009-10.

Continue reading "NJ Nets: Free agents Najera and Hayes locked up" »

Since we like to be helpful, allow us to offer this up for a decent place for a powwow with Eduardo Najera tonight. Unless Thorn and Kiki have a sudden hankering for Chinese.

Regardless, as we speak, Eddie is in Orlando to meet up with Rod/Kiki/LF for dinner tonight, as Headley said this morning. There are no offers in play - yet - but they're not inviting him down because they don't plan on making one.

He'll undoubtedly want to know where the Nets are going with this rebuilding experiment, and how long it will take to get there. He is an eight-year pro. He turns 32 years old tomorrow. This could be his last multi-year contract.

Continue reading "NJ Nets: Najera Comes To Dinner" »

Jason Kidd and Vince Carter couldn't do it.

Seven years of tangible achievement and a compelling style couldn't do it.

But the Nets -- who have learned that nothing recedes like success -- may have stumbled onto something very appealing in Yi Jianlian, who may be able fill all those empty spaces at Izod Center, judging by what happened yesterday.

Nearly 14 weeks before he plays his first game, the 7-foot forward inspired a remarkable meld of cultures during a well-choreographed, introductory press conference, and if the Chinese-American community is as interested in basketball as the Chinese media, the Nets' fan base -- and global footprint -- has just increased exponentially.

Continue reading "Nets going 'international'" »

You can take Roger Mason off the wish list: As of five minutes ago. Mark Bartelstein was "close to getting something done" with the Spurs and that "he'll probably be off the market tonight."

That kid, we're told, was looking for $4M per - which is probably understandable, because his wife (a recent Harvard Law grad) has student loans to pay off.

As for his other client, the Nets haven't talked to Bartelstein about Jannero Pargo in days.

Maybe he's the next big thing, and maybe he's destined to be remembered for the guy they stupidly traded for Jefferson. Maybe something in between.

Or try this (ahem) assessment: "A young Kevin Garnett," Bobby Simmons said of Yi Jianlian. "I had actually seen Kevin play in high school, and he was very athletic, he's capable of making shots and making plays because he was more agile than everyone else."

If that actually comes close to being accurate, we'll be the first to say it: Bobby Simmons is going to make a helluva GM someday. And if he's wrong, he can always get a job as Bill Walton's hyperbole coach.

Anyway, for us, this is the major issue: Yi ain't in Buckstown anymore. In Milwaukee, he played with two guards who weren't exactly best suited for his talent and development. Mo Williams isn't exactly a pass-first type of point, averaging nearly 15 shots per game the last two years. And you'll find scouts around the league who would be quick to label Michael Redd downright selfish - which Larry Krystokowiak confirmed after he was fired ("We could never address sharing and moving the basketball . . . things became very focused on scoring points, and that's Mike.")

Continue reading "Yi of Little Faith*" »

The Nets signed their 2008 second round draft pick, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.

Douglas-Roberts, selected by the Nets in the second round with the 40th overall pick, was named Conference USA Player-of-the-Year and averaged 18.1 points and 4.1 rebounds during his junior year to help lead Memphis to the national championship game against Kansas. The 6-7 guard was also named First Team All-American for the 2007-08 season. In three seasons at Memphis, Douglas-Roberts averaged 14.2 points and 3.7 rebounds in 109 career games.

Fred Kerber of the New York Post was on hand yesterday for Brook Lopez's debut at the Orlando Summer League in Orlando, Florida.

Brook Lopez shared a few words, but Nets fans may have some concern with the rookie's production.

From today's Post:

"I wouldn't say satisfied but I'll accept what I did. And I'm looking to build on it."

And the building has to start with rebounding: 20 minutes, ZERO boards.

"Obviously, as a 7-foot center, he's going to have to come with the mentality tomorrow that, 'I'm going to dominate the glass,' " said coach Lawrence Frank. "He's going to have to rebound."

Continue reading "Nets' Brook Lopez - a rookie's debut" »

If there is an illuminating example of Ryan Anderson's ambition consider this: Just over three years ago -- right about the last time the Nets were rebuilding, before Vince Carter landed in their laps -- he was a 260-pound high school senior who had but two scholarship offers.

Within a year, he shed the pounds like they were a winter coat. He kept the physical style his girth allowed him to play, took his game outside, became the Pac-10's leading scorer in less than two years and an NBA player in less than three.

"It's crazy: I had to take so many jumps from there," said the 20-year-old Nets rookie. "I weighed like 260, so I had to slim down to go to college ... down to 225. (Then) in college, I had to prove myself. It's great: I like being that underdog guy, people don't believe things I can do."

Continue reading "Work ethic has tipped scales in rookie's favor" »

That means "welcome" in Mandarin.

Google is a wonderful thing.

Yi Jianlian arrived here this afternoon: He'll spend all day Tuesday taking physicals - that involves going to the practice facility and Manhattan, because you have to visit heart specialists in today's NBA - and then they'll have his introductory presser Wednesday morning.

Thorn/Vandeweghe weren't around to greet him - both were flying in themselves from the holiday weekend - but they'll be in town until Wednesday afternoon, when they leave for Florida to watch some summer league games.

Continue reading "Huan Yin" »