The Nets have high expectations again, and they're not a finished product yet.

Using about $50 million of owner Bruce Ratner's money, the Nets added power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim and guard Jeff McInnis, and brought back Cliff Robinson. These moves, endorsed by Jason Kidd, should make the Nets one of the East's top four teams.

"I think on paper we're as good or better than we've ever been," Nets president Rod Thorn said Tuesday. "But we've been to the Finals two times in the last four years. We obviously have a lot to prove to be considered in that category.

"But I think offensively we have more talent than we've had in my time here anyway. The real keys are how this team plays on the defensive end and how the team meshes."