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NETS NOTEBOOK
Nets: Thorn targets Hornets' Jackson
Talks begin in effort to land swingman
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
BY DAVE D'ALESSANDRO
Star-Ledger Staff
Desperate for another able body -- preferably the kind who can do at
least some of the things that Richard Jefferson can do -- the Nets
have reached out to the Hornets to learn what it would take to send
Jimmy Jackson to New Jersey.
The veteran swingman was suspended by New Orleans for refusing to
report after being traded from Houston on Dec. 27, and he is
forfeiting $27,000 for every game he misses.
So Nets president Rod Thorn contacted Hornets counterpart Allan
Bristow yesterday, according to a team official, and talks have begun
in earnest. Meanwhile, the Nets are also waiting for Golden State to
accept their offer of a trade exception and a second-round draft pick
for Clifford Robinson.
Can Jackson help? Judging by his numbers -- 13.3 points and 4.8
rebounds in 24 games -- he can't hurt.
Just ask his former teammate: "Oh, yeah -- Jimmy can definitely help,
because he's a very versatile player," Jason Kidd said last night.
"Him and Cliff. We're definitely on the same page with that."
Under NBA rules, Jackson cannot be packaged with another player by the
Hornets within 60 days of the Rockets trade. However, he could be
dealt alone for a package of players equal to his $2.42 million salary.
The Nets' first game without Jefferson was a spirited effort, but they
were hammered in the paint by a 42-28 margin and dropped an 89-80
decision to the Detroit Pistons last night at Continental Airlines Arena.
The Nets could not match up with the Wallaces, both of whom had
double-doubles (Rasheed with 19 and 13, Ben with 11 and 11), and the
Pistons, who never trailed in the last three periods, had twice as
many free-throw attempts (28-14). Vince Carter led the Nets with 19
points and Travis Best added 16, but the two combined to shoot only
13-for-37.
One of the possible benefits of Jefferson's injury -- for lack of a
better term -- is that Jason Kidd will give the team a mulligan, and
not dwell on his desire to move on until he sees what Thorn can do
with the roster this summer.
But Kidd wouldn't discuss his future last night, as it was hard enough
just putting his uniform while fighting off flu symptoms.
"I haven't reflected on anything," Kidd said. "I haven't had the
chance to evaluate my situation. The biggest thing for me today was
just to get out of bed and go to shoot-around."
From the It Figures, Dept.: Jefferson had to be convinced to take the
MRI that revealed the torn ligament in his wrist, and then maintained
he could play with it anyway. He was overruled.
"I've played 300-something games and I only missed five," he said. "I
take a lot of pride. I love to play. I was damn near dead against
Golden State (Friday) I couldn't even run up and down, but I wanted to
play. Being sick and having a torn ligament, that wasn't going to keep
me down.
"I still wanted to continue to play right now. They said my time frame
for my rehab wasn't going to change. Whether it's completely torn off
or ruptured, or if I get it done now, it was still going to be two
months in a cast and two months of rehab."
For the record, Thorn said Jefferson is facing "a four-month rehab,"
and that "the earliest he can come back is toward the end of May."
Rodney Buford took Jefferson's place in the starting lineup last
night, but barring a trade, the job will likely belong to Ron Mercer
by month's end. The Nets swingman, who underwent surgery his left knee
on Nov. 15, has been on the treadmill for a week, and Thorn said he
could be activated for the road trip at the end of the month.
"It's a matter of what they're allowing me to do, and what I can do,"
Mercer said of his rehab. "It's a day-to-day process. (There is) some
pain, but I think it's natural at this point."
such a knucklehead. can't you just hear him..."no, no. i can play....i can!"
Nets: Thorn targets Hornets' Jackson
Talks begin in effort to land swingman
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
BY DAVE D'ALESSANDRO
Star-Ledger Staff
Desperate for another able body -- preferably the kind who can do at
least some of the things that Richard Jefferson can do -- the Nets
have reached out to the Hornets to learn what it would take to send
Jimmy Jackson to New Jersey.
The veteran swingman was suspended by New Orleans for refusing to
report after being traded from Houston on Dec. 27, and he is
forfeiting $27,000 for every game he misses.
So Nets president Rod Thorn contacted Hornets counterpart Allan
Bristow yesterday, according to a team official, and talks have begun
in earnest. Meanwhile, the Nets are also waiting for Golden State to
accept their offer of a trade exception and a second-round draft pick
for Clifford Robinson.
Can Jackson help? Judging by his numbers -- 13.3 points and 4.8
rebounds in 24 games -- he can't hurt.
Just ask his former teammate: "Oh, yeah -- Jimmy can definitely help,
because he's a very versatile player," Jason Kidd said last night.
"Him and Cliff. We're definitely on the same page with that."
Under NBA rules, Jackson cannot be packaged with another player by the
Hornets within 60 days of the Rockets trade. However, he could be
dealt alone for a package of players equal to his $2.42 million salary.
The Nets' first game without Jefferson was a spirited effort, but they
were hammered in the paint by a 42-28 margin and dropped an 89-80
decision to the Detroit Pistons last night at Continental Airlines Arena.
The Nets could not match up with the Wallaces, both of whom had
double-doubles (Rasheed with 19 and 13, Ben with 11 and 11), and the
Pistons, who never trailed in the last three periods, had twice as
many free-throw attempts (28-14). Vince Carter led the Nets with 19
points and Travis Best added 16, but the two combined to shoot only
13-for-37.
One of the possible benefits of Jefferson's injury -- for lack of a
better term -- is that Jason Kidd will give the team a mulligan, and
not dwell on his desire to move on until he sees what Thorn can do
with the roster this summer.
But Kidd wouldn't discuss his future last night, as it was hard enough
just putting his uniform while fighting off flu symptoms.
"I haven't reflected on anything," Kidd said. "I haven't had the
chance to evaluate my situation. The biggest thing for me today was
just to get out of bed and go to shoot-around."
From the It Figures, Dept.: Jefferson had to be convinced to take the
MRI that revealed the torn ligament in his wrist, and then maintained
he could play with it anyway. He was overruled.
"I've played 300-something games and I only missed five," he said. "I
take a lot of pride. I love to play. I was damn near dead against
Golden State (Friday) I couldn't even run up and down, but I wanted to
play. Being sick and having a torn ligament, that wasn't going to keep
me down.
"I still wanted to continue to play right now. They said my time frame
for my rehab wasn't going to change. Whether it's completely torn off
or ruptured, or if I get it done now, it was still going to be two
months in a cast and two months of rehab."
For the record, Thorn said Jefferson is facing "a four-month rehab,"
and that "the earliest he can come back is toward the end of May."
Rodney Buford took Jefferson's place in the starting lineup last
night, but barring a trade, the job will likely belong to Ron Mercer
by month's end. The Nets swingman, who underwent surgery his left knee
on Nov. 15, has been on the treadmill for a week, and Thorn said he
could be activated for the road trip at the end of the month.
"It's a matter of what they're allowing me to do, and what I can do,"
Mercer said of his rehab. "It's a day-to-day process. (There is) some
pain, but I think it's natural at this point."
such a knucklehead. can't you just hear him..."no, no. i can play....i can!"