"Any time you're in a losing situation, the highlight is the negative," said Jackson, who came to the Nets in last Monday's nine-player deal.

Gatling, a key to the nine-player deal made Feb. 17 with Dallas, has already missed two games.

Thompson was part of the nine-player deal that sent Juan Gonzalez to Detroit before the 2000 season.

And every thought led back to one thing: the nine-player deal that gave Calipari the talent he wanted.

At least the Nets revealed why the nine-player deal was made.

Still, that nine-player deal with Dallas last season has seemed to pay immediate dividends.

McCloud's departure came just hours after Monday's nine-player deal between the Nets and Mavericks was completed today.

After slumping to 11-19 in 1973, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in a nine-player deal.

He was traded to the Detroit Tigers in a nine-player deal.

Fearful of losing Marbury as a free agent, Minnesota dealt him to the Nets in a three-team, nine-player deal.