"That was worse than all the other bad ones combined," team president Rod Thorn said. "Nothing even compares."

With the worst trade ever by the Nets settled, what was the best? Certainly, Kidd, Antoine Wright and Malik Allen for Harris, Trenton Hassell, DeSagana Diop, Mo Ager, two first rounders and Keith Van Horn's contract seems to rank with the Brinks job and the Lufthansa heist. But it's early. Give it time, so it can be rightfully assessed.

But there were other great trades

6 July 15, 2004 - Nets trade Kenyon Martin to Denver for three first-round picks. Actually, this was a terrible trade. The Nets never replaced Martin's power forward defense or rebounding.

Thorn admits it's the one trade he would not do again - at the time, he was forced into it through bean counters' cost cutting. So why was it good? Two of the picks were used to get Vince Carter.

5. Feb. 17, 1 9 9 7 - Nets and Mavericks basically swap teams. The Nets trade Shawn Bradley, Robert Pack, Ed O'Bannon and Khalid Reeves for Jim Jackson, Chris Gatling, Sam Cassell, Eric Montross and George McCloud.

The then-largest trade in NBA history got the Nets into the playoffs in 1998. More importantly, Cassell and Gatling were used in a 1991 trade that fetched Stephon Marbury, leading to the Nets' greatest trade ever.

4. Dec. 17, 2004 - Nets trade Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams, Eric Williams and two first-round picks to Toronto for Vince Carter.

Months after cutting costs, the Nets land a superstar to complement Kidd and carry the scoring with Richard Jefferson eventually hurt. Carter's first three Nets seasons end in the playoffs.

3. June 27, 2001 - Nets trade the draft rights to Eddie Griffin to Houston for the rights to Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong. Jefferson and Collins are instrumental in two Finals runs. The late Griffin is a bust.

2. Jan. 23, 1991 - Nets trade Greg Anderson and their 1992 first rounder (Bryant Stith) in a three-team trade for Drazen Petrovic from Portland and Terry Mills from Denver.

Petrovic becomes a sensational scorer, maybe the best pure shooter in Nets history. He helps in two playoff runs before he is killed in a 1993 car crash.

1. July 18, 2001 - Nets trade Stephon Marbury, Johnny Newman and Soumaila Samake to Phoenix for Jason Kidd and Chris Dudley.

Kidd ends Nets' laughingstock days, is the team's best player since Erving played during ABA days, but Kidd eventually forces a trade.

Nets

PAST FOUR GAMES

DATE OPPONENT SCORE

Nov. 29 at Utah W 105-88

Sunday at Phx W 117-109

Tuesday vs. Was L 108-88

Last night vs. Min W 113-84

NEXT FOUR GAMES

DATE OPPONENT TIME

Tonight at Phi 7:30

Wed. vs. NY 7:30

Friday vs. Tor 7:30

Dec. 13 at Chi 8:30

TV: YES * overtime