Adding the former NBA Sixth Man award winner and reuniting him with former teammates Jason Kidd and Dikembe Mutombo seemingly completes a quick makeover for the Nets after being swept by the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.

Since the playoffs ended, general manager Rod Thorn signed Chris Childs as a backup point guard and acquired Mutombo in a high-profile deal for Keith Van Horn and Todd MacCulloch. Now he has added Rogers, who was the best man off the bench in the 1999-00 season while playing with Kidd in Phoenix.

Rogers played 50 games with Phoenix last season before being traded to the Celtics along with Tony Delk for Joe Johnson, Milt Palacio and a first-round draft pick.

In the Eastern Conference finals, Rogers averaged 10.7 points and 4.5 rebounds in the six-game loss to the Nets. He shot 51 percent from the field and 41 percent from 3-point range.

The Celtics did not pursue Rogers after the season, instead trading for Vin Baker.

Rogers, who is entering his 10th season, can opt out of his new deal after the first two years.

"He will fit perfectly," Thorn said. "This gives us the outside threat we lost when we traded Van Horn. It gives us the toughness he has always shown on the court throughout his career."

Rogers hinted that other teams offered him more money but he felt the Eastern Conference champion Nets offered him more in other ways.

"Jason Kidd is one of the best point guards in the league, and there is just no harder worker," Rogers said. "I talked to Dikembe and he said, 'Come on Rodney, come here and try to be part of a championship."'

With Richard Jefferson taking over at the small forward and Kenyon Martin moving to the power forward, Rogers will back up both positions. He also can play center.

"This team will be a lot better with Mutombo, me and Childs," Rogers said. "You have guys who want to win and who play hard on the floor. I think we give us the firepower we need and the defensive presence where we need to be tough at."

Rogers averaged 11.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 671 games playing with Denver, the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics. The former Wake Forest product is a 46 percent shooter from the field and 36 percent from 3-point range.

Rogers played with Mutombo while at Denver and with Kidd in Phoenix. Rogers played in all 82 games in 1999-00, when he averaged 13.8 points and 5.5 rebounds.

"You always want to start, but I am here to do a job for the Nets," Rogers said. "My job is to come in and make it hard on the guys who are in position to start."