EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Jeff McInnis signed a two-year deal
with the New Jersey Nets on Thursday to back up Jason Kidd.
"I still think I am a starter in this league," McInnis said by
telephone from Charlotte, N.C. "The short-term contract will give
me an opportunity to be a starter in this league, whether with New
Jersey or not."
The former 30-year-old North Carolina star said he's looking
forward to a fresh start after a tumultuous exit from Cleveland. He
was benched by coach Paul Silas on March 20 for a game in Toronto,
a day before Silas was fired and replaced by assistant coach
Brendan Malone.
McInnis did not accompany the team to its final regular-season
game, also in Toronto, because of an unspecified and unexplained
"viral syndrome." The day before, at a game in Boston, he
remained in the locker room for part of third quarter and sat on
the bench for the rest of the game with a towel wrapped around his
head.
The Cavaliers finished the season with a 42-40 record and missed
out on the final Eastern Conference playoff spot in a tiebreaker
with the Nets.
"The Cleveland thing is in the past," McInnis said. "I'm just
happy go be a Net. I just want to move forward."
McInnis has averaged 10.6 points and 4.6 assists in eight
seasons with Denver, Washington, the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland
and Cleveland. Last year with the Cavaliers, he averaged 12.8 points
and 5.1 assists.
Nets President Rod Thorn has said McInnis will back up Kidd at
point guard and also play shooting guard, a prospect McInnis said
was appealing.
"Playing behind Jason Kidd, or just to go against him every day
in practice, you can learn," McInnis said. "I'm really excited
about it."
McInnis qualifies as the Nets' major offseason acquisition after
a deal for Portland forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim fell apart when
Abdur-Rahim failed a physical. On Tuesday, New Jersey used the
trade exception it had planned to use in that deal to acquire 76ers
forward Marc Jackson instead.
The team also re-signed veteran forward Cliff Robinson, who
played in 29 games for the Nets last season after being acquired
from Golden State midway through the season.