"Richard Jefferson's first season in New Jersey ended in the 2002 NBA Finals, and he repeated the trip in 2003, when he was part of a Nets team that fell victim to the second of the Spurs' championship runs.

Watching from afar as the Nets opened the 2009-10 season by setting a dubious record for the worst start in league history - 18 losses in a row before finally beating the Charlotte Bobcats on Dec. 4 - was difficult for a player who still has friends inside the organization.

"You feel for them," said Jefferson, acquired by the Nets on draft night 2001 in a swap of first-round picks with the Houston Rockets. "You feel for the people who are there. You feel for the fans."

Before the Nets traded Jefferson to the Milwaukee Bucks on June 26, 2006, he had played on teams that compiled a seven-season record of 314-260. His only losing season in New Jersey was his last, when the 2007-08 Nets went 34-48."