EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -Dressed in a polo shirt and jeans, Rafer Alston didn't mind that the receptionist at the New Jersey Nets' training facility didn't recognize him as one of the team's newest players.
"Can I help you?" the friendly face said to the man.
"Sure," Alston said. "I'm the new guy."
While the other two players the Nets received from Orlando in last week's trade of All-Star Vince Carter to the Magic might have been shell shocked and somewhat upset by being shipped to New Jersey, Alston was absolutely ecstatic.
"I'm excited," said Alston, who was packaged with forward/center Tony Battie and guard Courtney Lee by the Magic in order to receive Carter and Ryan Anderson in a pre-draft deal. "Most people get upset and are disappointed about being traded, but for me, this is a great feeling. It's definitely a dream come true. I'm coming home to play in front of my family and friends."
Alston, a New York playground legend known by the unique nickname of "Skip to my Lou," learned of the trade to the Nets last week from a friend while Alston was visiting his family in his home of Jamaica, Queens.
"My friend told me I was traded." Alston said. "When I asked where, he said, 'New Jersey.' I said, 'Well, I don't have to go anywhere then, just across the (George Washington) Bridge. I was eager and excited."
Alston, a nine-year NBA veteran, split his time last season between Houston and Orlando, helping the Magic reach the NBA Finals. However, Alston was upset when his playoff time was cut in the Finals by the return of All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson and voiced his displeasure over Nelson getting the playing time over him.
"A writer asked me if I then expected to be traded," Alston said. "I told him that if I was going to get traded, I wanted to go close to home. I didn't expect it to happen. I didn't mind working with Jameer - I respected his play and I wouldn't have minded playing behind him. But things worked out well."
Alston, who has also played for Milwaukee, Miami and Toronto, averaged 12 points in 29 games for the Magic, taking over after Nelson was injured. He also averaged 11.5 points with the Rockets, where he started and averaged double figures for the prior three seasons.
Alston is totally embracing the chance to play with the Nets, even if the team appears to be going through a complete rebuilding phase. He also knows the Nets already have an All-Star point guard in high-scoring Devin Harris.
"I'm getting the opportunity to play right away and help turn this franchise around," said Alston, who has averaged nearly 11 points and five assists per game over his NBA career. "I'm coming into a situation where Devin is the starter and (Keyon) Dooling has done well. Whatever minutes I receive will be fine with me. I'm just going to give it my all and play to the best of my ability."
Although Alston admitted he was a Knicks fan as a child, he remembered a lot about the Nets' history.
"I can't wait to play here and put on a Nets uniform," Alston said. "Some of my favorite players ever were Nets, guys like Pearl Washington, Kenny Anderson, Albert King, Darwin Cook. It's going to be exciting for me to play here. Believe me, this is coming home. It's not like it's Trenton or Atlantic City. It's right across the bridge. It's a dream come true, because I always wanted to come back home."
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