From Al Iannazzone</p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Kevin Garnett, James Posey and Eddie House wanted to be Nets over the summer, but New Jersey either didn't have the players or enough money to get any of them.</p> A whirlwind off-season by Boston, which included trading for All-Star Ray Allen, has put the Celtics back on the NBA landscape and made them the pick to win the Atlantic Division title, if not the East.</p> <table width="210" align="right"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <div align="center"> <script language="javascript" type="text/javascript"> </script> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> "People anoint you stuff that you shouldn't be anointed," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said before the Nets defeated his team, 82-71, in a preseason game Tuesday night at the IZOD Center. "It's an honor to have our guys on the cover of Sports Illustrated, but shouldn't San Antonio be there?"</p> The Nets aren't crying about the ones who got away or their failure to make SI's NBA preview cover. They feel they can compete with Boston's big three of Paul Pierce, Garnett and Allen – none of whom played Tuesday – and the rest of the East, even if no one is talking about them.</p> Rivers thinks the Nets are being overlooked and shouldn't be because they have "three stars." The Nets would have been the sexy pick if they got Garnett, who recently was quoted as saying he strongly considered New Jersey.</p> But Minnesota didn't like the Nets' offer of Richard Jefferson, Nenad Krstic and Marcus Williams. Many NBA insiders would agree that's a better package than what Boston gave up for Garnett: Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair and two first-round picks</p> Ironically, the Nets could have indirectly blocked this trade had they not passed on Jefferson and Ratliff for Richard Jefferson during last training camp. The Nets probably are kicking themselves today for not doing that deal.</p> The Nets were closer to retaining House -- Boston gave him about $400,000 more – and signing Posey. They really wanted Posey because they thought the swingman's versatility and ability on both ends of the floor could really help.</p> Coach Lawrence Frank went to Houston to see Posey and Jason Kidd called him. Posey was leaning toward New Jersey, but Boston kept raising the offer.</p> Posey got $3.2 million from Boston, about $1.4 more than the Nets' offer. They considered using their $3.6 million trade exception from the Jeff McInnis deal. Miami would have done it, according to sources. But the exception had to be used on a three-year deal and neither side wanted to be locked in for that long.</p> "We were close," Nets president Rod Thorn said. "It came down to us and Boston. We were looking at a different number than he was."</p> The Nets and Celtics are done competing for the same players. They're competing for the same thing now.</p> "They're going to be tough," Rivers said. "They're going to be a really good basketball team. Hopefully we're a really good basketball team. The East should be fun this year."</p> </div></p> </p>
Geez that close on Posey. Wow never heard about the Jefferson-Jefferson deal. Would have been a good deal......in hindsight.</p>
Wow, I'm surprised they didn't pull the trigger on jefferson-jefferson/ratliff. What made them pull out of that one?</p>
But the thing is players would do what they can to drag their ass on the court to play with Kidd.......maybe Thorn should have gambled on that.</p>
