The Nets Took Bernard Robinson for Jeff McInnis and Cash
On January 3, 2007, New Jersey traded guard Jeff McInnis and cash considerations to Charlotte for reserve swingman Bernard Robinson. Nets president Rod Thorn characterized Robinson as an athletic bench defender capable of covering both perimeter positions. McInnis was a veteran point guard who had fallen out of the Nets playing rotation and wanted an opportunity closer to his hometown. Charlotte had used Robinson for 21 games earlier in the season, but gave up on that developmental wing slot to take a look at another ball handler. The contemporaneous Nets announcement identifies both players and the accompanying cash direction. No future draft pick was included, and this was not the earlier 2004 transaction that originally brought Robinson into the Charlotte expansion team.
McInnis Actually Returned to the Floor in Charlotte
McInnis played 38 Charlotte games in 2006-07 and started three. That marked a substantial improvement in availability over his final Nets months, when he had not played for the club in the 2006-07 regular-season schedule before the trade. He provided veteran organizing minutes behind the starting guards without becoming a lasting high-scoring option. Charlotte could use him as an additional ball handler when injuries interrupted the first-choice lineup, and the cash added a modest economic return. Its C+ inherited grade reflects some real game participation and financial considerations rather than a major long-term development success. McInnis remained in Charlotte the following year, but his role diminished as the roster added other veteran point guards.
Robinson Became a Small New Jersey Rotation Experiment
Robinson arrived with three Bobcats seasons of experience, but his Nets tenure was brief. He was not a dependable starter in a New Jersey rotation built around Vince Carter, Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. His value lay in defensive flexibility and the chance to see whether a younger wing could claim occasional bench minutes. The Nets’ C grade acknowledges that opportunity, while Charlotte’s higher C+ reflects having obtained a usable guard plus cash. Robinson’s earlier NBA appearances for Charlotte cannot be counted a second time as New Jersey production. The club traded out a player who had been idle, but the ensuing playing value remained narrow on both sides. That supports a slight decision instead of a franchise-changing outcome.
Final Verdict
Slight Charlotte Edge. The Bobcats receive C+ after acquiring Jeff McInnis, who appeared in 38 Charlotte games in 2006-07, and cash. New Jersey gets C for reserve wing Bernard Robinson, whose Nets role was limited. The winner follows modest veteran guard utility, not a long-term star return.