For Thomas Robinson, a new chance with an old flame

Thomas Robinson always wanted to be a Net and the Nets always wanted Thomas Robinson.  The Nets had hoped even after trading their first round pick to Portland for Gerald Wallace. Then, at the lottery, that dream died.  The Kings took Robinson at No. 5, just before the Trail Blazers, picking at No. 6, went with Damian Lillard, who became rookie of the year.

Then, last year, after T-Rob had been shuffled from Sacramento to Houston to Portland to Denver, his reputation for inconsistency and immaturity hurting him, it looked the Nets were going to get another chance. T-Rob had agreed to join Brooklyn once he cleared waivers after being dumped by the Nuggets. But  the 76ers swooped in at the last minute and grabbed him off waivers. He played in Philly, did well and was a free agent as of July 1.  Finally, a few minutes after midnight that morning, Billy King called and he was a Net, finally.

"Because they showed interest from Day One," Robinson said of his desire to play for the Nets. "Even at the draft, they showed heavy interest, and then the pick got swapped out. Over the years, I’ve just liked it was a new organization, and they were building something, and it’s New York. … I wanted to be here in New York."

Now what? Tim Bontemps and Rod Boone report the Nets are quite pleased with their luck, a chance perhaps to get a second bite at the 2012 Draft. More importantly, they see Robinson as a more productive version of Reggie Evans, a rebounder extraordinaire.

"I think that's the biggest part about his game," Thaddeus Young told Boone. "He's very high intensity. Sometimes we have to shut him down a little bit, but he's been a good piece. This summer, it was very valuable that we got a guy like him. He reminds you of a guy like a Reggie Evans. Very high intensity, going to get you a million rebounds if he could, and we need that type of guys on the team..."

Robinson could be the court Wednesday vs. the Celtics ... in Brooklyn.

• Brooklyn Nets' Thomas Robinson sees his niche as rebounder - Rod Boone - Newsday
• ‘Tired of disrespect:’ Nets’ journeyman seeking career rebirth - Tim Bontemps - New York Post