Courtesy of Netsdaily: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class="entry"> Injuries and off-the-court matters plagued the Nets during the course of the 2006-07 season. And now, before the new year has begun, a year that was supposed to start with a clean slate, injuries and off-the-court matters are popping up again. Meanwhile, the Kobe Bryant situation in LA could have an indirect effect on the Nets, possibly opening the door for a Jermaine O’Neal trade.</p> </div> Distractions dangerous for Nets - Al Iannazzone - YES Network</div></p> Not agaaaain.</p> </p> </p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>No, there are other potentially major situations that could impact the Nets and in some cases could be because of them.</p> The Lakers are listening to offers for Kobe Bryant, after he blasted management for not giving up Bynum in a package for Kidd and requested a trade. (If that resurfaces now the Nets should say no.)</p> If Bryant is moved to the Bulls or Mavs or Suns, it could trickle down to the Nets. The Lakers may not be interested in Jermaine O'Neal anymore, then, and he probably would rather be a Net in turn. Ultimately, it's the Pacers' decision where they send him, though.</p> Elsewhere, if Phoenix moves Shawn Marion to the Lakers to appease Bryant for a package including either Lamar Odom or Bynum, they'll have no shot at getting O'Neal, which helps the Nets, too.</p> Nothing will happen with the Nets and Indiana anytime soon. The three players the Pacers wanted -- not necessarily who the Nets wanted to give up -- are all coming off of surgeries.</p> Indiana would want to see that Jefferson is back to his old self -- although they were looking for a third team to send him to over the summer -- that Krstic looks like he will be fine after tearing his ACL and that Williams is all right.</p> The Nets probably wouldn't give up those three for O'Neal anyway. But it's still possible he ends up in New Jersey because of Kidd, because the Nets envision O'Neal with Kidd, first and foremost, and Vince Carter.</p> The bottom line is Kevin Garnett and O'Neal want to play with the Nets because of Kidd and Bryant wanted Kidd in L.A. Kidd is the key to everything for the Nets, has been and will be as long as he's here.</div></p>
