by DAVE D'ALESSANDRO, STAR-LEDGER STAFF , The Star-Ledger

So the Nets' classy big man, acquired from Orlando in the Vince Carter deal last week, wasn't surprised that he was moving on to his fifth team.

But the fact that Courtney Lee is coming with him to New Jersey is another matter. As soon as the rookie guard's name came up, in fact, Battle quickly applied a let-me-tell-you-a-story grin.

"Me being traded is no shock," Battie said at the Nets' practice facility yesterday, after he and Lee passed their physicals. "But for them to trade Courtney, that was a shock for me. Tremendous talent, young and upcoming guy ...

"I'm not saying what they should have done. But I would have thought that he was a very important piece to what they had going on."

Which is, of course, building a championship team.

Lee, the 6-5 shooting guard, still looked a bit shell-shocked by his inclusion in the deal, as he had every right to think that the Magic were committed to him long term. By all accounts, he has potential star quality - a lock-down defender, a superb athlete, an evolving offensive game. He is, the Nets hope, next year's Devin Harris - a diamond in the rough who rebuilding teams jump on when they have the chance to rid themselves of a Carter-sized talent and a salary to match.

Now the 23-year-old Indianapolis native just has to play as brilliantly as Battie - and Rod Thorn - expect him to play, after he gets over the disappointment of leaving a title contender.

"It definitely was a shock but it's one I have to live with," Lee said. "It's definitely hard to cope with that. But knowing the plan and the Nets still having Devin Harris and then getting a good draft pick, it's just a moving-forward process."

"I'm sure Courtney was destroyed by the trade," Orlando assistant coach Brendan Malone said yesterday. "He's got to be wondering, 'What did I do to deserve that?' But you know, many people in this organization did not want to trade him. Jersey is getting one of our favorite kids."

Indeed, there is much to like about Lee's game, but the most promising part of it is this: For a kid who made the Magic starting lineup on his defensive reputation, he shot 45 percent last season, including 40 percent from 3-point range.

Is that the result of being the spot-up guy on the weak side, who benefits from the post-swing-swing routine of Dwight Howard?

Or is this the real Courtney Lee?

"Yeah, that's me," said Lee, who was taken 22nd in the 2008 draft out of Western Kentucky. "If you followed me in college at all, you know I was a scorer. I averaged 21 points, so scoring comes natural.

"But being on the team that I was on - having Dwight, having Hedo (Turkoglu), having Rashard (Lewis) - I knew that my role wasn't going to be that strong on the offensive end."

* Note: Rafer Alston didn't join his teammates yesterday because of an illness, but the Bayside native will meet the media today.

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