<P> The team improved significantly in 1992--93, led by the emerging trio of Petrović, Coleman and Anderson . Chuck Daly, who had been let go by the Detroit Pistons following the 1991--92 season, was hired by the Nets and immediately paid dividends . However, injuries to both Anderson and Petrović toward the end of the season sent the team into a 1--10 slump to end the regular season . The Nets finished the season at 43--39, which again earned them the sixth seed and a date with the Cavaliers in the first round . With Anderson out with a broken hand and Petrović playing on an injured knee, the Nets lost a tough five - game series . </P> <P> The Nets experienced tragedy in the offseason, as Petrović was killed in an auto accident in Germany . Still, the team managed to win 45 games during the 1993--94 season . Anderson and Coleman made their only All - Star appearances this season . The Nets again qualified for the playoffs as the East's seventh seed, but were eliminated by the New York Knicks the first round of the 1994 NBA Playoffs, three games to one . </P> <P> After the 1993--94 season Daly resigned and Butch Beard was hired to be the team's head coach . The Nets struggled through the rest of the decade . During the mid-1990s the NBA's main image problem was that of the selfish, immature athlete, and the Nets exemplified this . In 1995, Coleman was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the poster child of the selfish NBA player, with Anderson, Benoit Benjamin, Dwayne Schintzius and Chris Morris among the mentioned athletes . The team's reputation was so poor that in an effort to shed its negative image, team president Jon Spoelstra decided to rename the team the New Jersey Swamp Dragons in 1994, partly inspired by the New Jersey Meadowlands in which the team played . After the team obtained approval from ownership and spent $500,000 on trademarks, the name was ultimately rejected when Nets co-owner David Gerstein changed his mind and voted' no' as the name was sent to the NBA Board of Governors for approval . In both the 1994--95 and 1995--96 seasons, the Nets finished with identical 30--52 records . Beard was fired after the second of those two seasons . </P> <P> In an effort to start anew, Coleman and Anderson were both traded during the 1995--96 season and New Jersey hired UMass head coach John Calipari to coach the team . Kerry Kittles was selected in the 1996 NBA draft and midway through the 1996--97 season, the team traded for Sam Cassell . After a 26--56 season, the Nets made a major draft - day trade in June 1997, acquiring Keith Van Horn, Lucious Harris and two other players for Tim Thomas . The only player from the early 1990s that the Nets retained was Jayson Williams, who was developing into a rebounding specialist . </P>

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