Nets look to Outlaw for instant offense

To most, it was the land between New York and Philadelphia, home of oil refineries and a toxic team that won 12 of 82 games last season. But to Travis Outlaw, playing for the Nets represented an opportunity and a chance to start.

Of course the $35 million he would get over five years wasn't exactly something to ignore. But mostly, he could be an NBA starting small forward.

But he was around for like a half-hour when reports claimed the Nets were on the scent of Carmelo Anthony, an All-Star NBA small forward.

"It wasn't as bad as people think," Outlaw said of the past week, which was basically a national 24/7 'Melo Watch. "Something always is on the verge of happening. Me being in the league for a while, I kind of understood the proceedings. I can only control what I do. . . . I leave everything to upper management. They have to do what's best for the team."

So Outlaw, a seven-season NBA veteran after jumping straight from high school, stayed professional. He heard the reports. He was neither bothered nor concerned. Well, almost.

"It was kind of funny, like 'aarrggh' but it's alright," said Outlaw, a 9.5 point per game career scorer who has started just 32 times in his NBA life.
Johnson said Outlaw "can get his shot any time he wants."

Perhaps somewhat out of character for a Net, Outlaw actually can make his shots, too. He's a .441 career shooter -- not great but on the Nets last season, that would have warranted legend status.

"You can have all of the cute plays you want, you've got to have a guy at the end of the shot clock when plays break down," Coach Avery Johnson said. "Or when teams just know your plays, you can just throw a guy the ball.

"He can create. . . . That's what we need for him to do," he said. "He's not Kobe. He's not Wade, but he can create his own shot, which we're going to need."