MILWAUKEE — Success in the business of pro basketball is all about adapting.

From the start of his career, point guard Devin Harris has understood that.

The former University of Wisconsin star was traded by Washington to Dallas immediately after being selected fifth overall in the 2004 NBA draft.

In February, Harris was forced to acquaint himself with yet another offensive system and set of teammates when the Mavericks shipped him to New Jersey at the trade deadline.

With the trade soon came the reality Harris wouldn't be playing the in the postseason for the first time in his young career.

But based on the wide smiles and the lightning-quick speed with which Harris played in Saturday night's win over the Bucks at the Bradley Center, the trials of this season haven't broken his spirit.

"Devin's been great," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said.

"You come in, playing the hardest position on the floor, going from a team that was toward the top of the Western Conference to a team that was struggling. He's had a great attitude and he's really incorporated himself well."

Harris gives Nets an alert presence on the offensive end, good finishing skills around the basket and an upbeat pace in the open counrt that suits high-flyers Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson.

"It's a new start for me," Harris said.

"I have a lot of freedom, a lot of control here, something I kind of lacked in Dallas."

When several teams in the Western Conference made blockbuster moves to try to separate themselves from a tightly contested pack, Harris said Dallas was put in a position where it felt changes were needed to keep up.

The Mavericks dealt for Jason Kidd, and the commitment to Harris as part of their future — Dallas signed him to a five-year extension before the season — was over.

"Nothing is promised tomorrow," Harris said. "They did what they felt they had to do to get better. If it works, it remains to be seen."

Harris has averaged 15.7 points and 6.4 assists per game since the trade, but the Nets (33-47) have struggled.

New Jersey fell from the eighth position in the Eastern Conference playoff race and is 8-15 with Harris in the lineup.

"It's going to be a long process before he's as comfortable as he should be and before this is completely his team," Jefferson said.

Under contract for four more years, the next goal for Harris is to help make New Jersey a championship contender again.

"I think with his expanded role here, he could definitely move up to the elite point guards in this league," Jefferson said of Harris, who is averaging 14.9 points and 5.7 assists per game overall this season.

"In order for us to get back to that elite level, we're going to need someone of his caliber to run the show."