Jason Kidd Is A Mav Again!

Mean Green 93-98 · February 13, 2008

From CBSSportsline.com:

The Nets agree to trade All-Star point guard Jason Kidd and Malik Allen to the Mavericks for Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, Devean George, DeSagana Diop, Maurice Ager, two first-round picks and cash, sources tell Tony Mejia of CBSSports.com.

From ESPN:

Sources: Mavs, Nets close in on Kidd deal
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
Jason Kidd has quietly -- and not so quietly -- hoped for a trade to the Dallas Mavericks all season.
It appears those hopes are about to realized, according to NBA front-office sources.
Sources told ESPN.com that the Mavericks and Nets on Wednesday reached an agreement in principle on a Kidd deal after talks had seemingly stalled last week, moving the teams to brink of completing the NBA's third blockbuster deal of the month.
Although sources say that the teams are still sorting out final details, this deal was described as "imminent" by multiple sources close to the process after negotiations moved to an advanced stage Tuesday night. The proposed swap -- salvaged from talks on a three-way trade with Portland that developed and fizzled quickly two weeks ago -- would require Dallas to send 24-year-old point guard Devin Harris, veteran swingman Jerry Stackhouse, the expiring contracts of center DeSagana Diop and swingman Devean George and guard Maurice Ager to New Jersey for Kidd and forward Malik Allen.
Sources say Dallas will also give New Jersey cash ($3 million is the league maximum) and its first-round draft pick this June and as well as a first-rounder in 2010.
The Nets are expected to buy out Stackhouse's contract, which could enable him to re-sign with Dallas if he waits 30 days, and ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard reports that the Nets and the Mavs are likewise poised to complete a separate trade that will send swingman Antoine Wright to Dallas for a future second-round pick.
Dallas has been widely considered the most likely winner of the Kidd trade sweepstakes, despite the repeated attempts of Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to publicly dismiss the idea of parting with multiple regulars for Kidd. Cuban told several New York-based reporters Sunday before New Jersey beat Dallas that a deal for All-Star floor leader would severely weaken his roster.
"For us to make the numbers work in a deal like that, we'd have to trade away half the team," Cuban said. "We're not doing that, so it just doesn't work. And we like our team. We've got a lot of room for improvement and we hope to get better. But right now, I just don't see anything happening.
Yet sources close to the process insist that the talks have heated up in the past 24 hours, with the Mavs still tantalized by the prospect of bringing Kidd back more than a decade after the pre-Cuban regime drafted him out of Cal, watched him share rookie of the year honors with Grant Hill in 1994-95 and then traded him to Phoenix on the day after Christmas in 1996.
The Mavs' biggest reservation, though, isn't sacrificing Harris. Sources maintain that Dallas, while reluctant to part with one of Cuban's favorite players and its point guard of the future after signing Harris to a contract extension over the summer, has been resigned for some time to losing Harris if it meant getting Kidd back.
The greater hesitation, sources said, is that they would also have to part with Stackhouse and Diop, weakening Dallas' depth. Although it's believed that Stackhouse is likely to be bought out and released by the Nets, which would enable Dallas to re-sign him if he sits out for 30 days, there's no guarantee they can convince Stackhouse to resist the interest of other teams to return once he becomes a free agent. Losing Diop, meanwhile, is an even bigger blow, as that would leave the undependable Erick Dampier as the Mavericks' only veteran center at a time when potential playoff foes like the Los Angeles Lakers (Pau Gasol) and Phoenix Suns (Shaquille O'Neal) are getting bigger.
But Dallas appears more motivated than ever in spite of those concerns and the current lack of a third team to join in and broaden the trade, believing that Kidd -- although he turns 35 in March and is threatening to establish a new career low with his 36.7 percent shooting from the field -- is still a prime source of leadership and mental toughness.
Kidd displayed those qualities in abundance during a strong summer with Team USA and those areas are well-chronicled weak spots for the Mavs, who followed up a historic collapse to Miami in the 2006 NBA Finals with a first-round flameout against Golden State after winning 67 games last season. A point guard of Kidd's caliber, influence and experience would undoubtedly please the demanding Avery Johnson, reinvigorate a team that has been lacking energy and confidence and supply Dallas' coach with a dangerous four-man core of Kidd, Josh Howard, Jason Terry and reigning MVP Dirk Nowitzki.
Nowitzki is the player Kidd has had in mind when privately telling associates in recent months that he hoped to go back to Dallas. Although his desire to leave New Jersey had been suspected all season, Kidd didn't go public with that wish until late January, when he told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that it's time for him and New Jersey "all to move on" in separate directions.
Kidd was acquired by the Nets in the 2001 offseason in a trade with Phoenix featuring Stephon Marbury and sparked New Jersey to the most successful period in the team's NBA history, starting with back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. After giving strong consideration to signing with San Antonio in the summer of 2003, Kidd elected to stay with the Nets. During the past four-plus seasons, however, New Jersey has not advanced past the second round of the playoffs, despite the 2004 arrival of Vince Carter and Kidd's successful recovery from microfracture knee surgery.
The Nets were prepared to deal Kidd to the Lakers at the trade deadline last season but pulled out of the deal when the Lakers refused to part with center Andrew Bynum, who has since blossomed. This deal would give them a highly rated point guard who's 10 years younger than Kidd and three cap-friendly contracts if the Mavericks indeed include Ager.
The Nets could come away with even more salary-cap relief if the Mavericks built their trade package around Harris and a signed-and-traded Keith Van Horn. Although he has been out of the game since the end of the 2005-06 season, Van Horn hasn't filed official retirement papers with the league, allowing Dallas to retain his rights. And because Van Horn's final NBA salary was nearly $16 million, Dallas can re-sign him for a substantial amount and thus create a lucrative expiring contract for the Nets, because only the first year of a contract must be guaranteed in a sign-and-trade arrangement.
Cuban, though, told ESPN.com last week that "we won't use [Van Horn] in any deal for anyone." That's because Kidd would cost the Mavericks nearly $40 million next season, thanks to the luxury tax, if they sent only Harris, Van Horn and salary-cap filler to the Nets.
Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here.

Edited February 13, 2008 by Mean Green 93-98

PerryG2480 · February 13, 2008

Accidentally posted in wrong forum:

Looks like it will be official soon.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3244102

Not sure what I think of this. I think Harris would EVENTUALLY be great. Could get Stack back if the Nets buy out his contract. Don't care about losing Ager and George. Having Bass eases the Diop loss slightly.

Predicted starting 5?

Kidd

Jones

Howard

Nowitzki

Dampier

Key bench role players:

Terry

Hassell

Bass

Allen

Barea?

Could get interesting...

yyz28 · February 13, 2008

Mavs went from really bad, to good but unable to get past the choke, and now are mediocre at best.

Kidd was here when we were really bad....

...I'm trying to see the benefit here...

UNT_92_Fan · February 13, 2008

Now being the Mavs Homer I am... at first glance I hate this idea. Devin harris is developing into a great guard but we need to win now. Reports are that the Nets will buy out Stack's contract and he will be re-signed with the Mavs in the next month. I like that.

I am still trying to make my mind up on this but it is def. interesting time for the Mavericks

Quoner · February 13, 2008

Now being the Mavs Homer I am... at first glance I hate this idea. Devin harris is developing into a great guard but we need to win now. Reports are that the Nets will buy out Stack's contract and he will be re-signed with the Mavs in the next month. I like that.
I am still trying to make my mind up on this but it is def. interesting time for the Mavericks

I verbal diarrheaed all over the wrong thread, but feel free to look at my ramblings on it as well. Not coming around yet at all, but intrigued...

UNTLifer · February 13, 2008

I hate this trade. As someone posted in the other thread, why let Nash go and then resign Kidd a couple years later? Makes no sense and reeks of desperation.

Quoner · February 13, 2008

I hate this trade. As someone posted in the other thread, why let Nash go and then resign Kidd a couple years later? Makes no sense and reeks of desperation.

Nash is what he is today because he was traded. He finally started working out in the offseason and used the trade to shake off the complacency that set in while he was here. He was never going to defend - and still doesn't - and they had this new vision of the future that was ..well, almost right.

But yes, this is a desperate, stupid move unless something else follows it.

NTPhiKap99 · February 13, 2008

It looks like most everyone here is on th same page questioning this deal I and I agree right now I'm not really liking it. I think we're giving up the future in Harris for one shot to win and I personally don't really think Kidd puts us over the top and guarantees a championship. It all come down to rather or not the Mavs can win a championship this year or next if they do the deal a success if not the mortgaged the future and got nothing in return. Do I like the deal today no because even with Kidd I'm not sold this team can win it but it does give them a better shot this year so I'm willing to let it play out and see what happens.

NT80 · February 13, 2008

I don't see the benefit of this trade. It would be better if Stackhouse returns but basically we traded young guys for an old guy. Not a good move.

NTPhiKap99 · February 13, 2008

I don't see the benefit of this trade.

There isn't a benefit and the only possible one is a ring any thing short makes this trade the disaster we all think it is.

class84 · February 13, 2008

It's been shown that Dampier can't handle more than 25 minutes a night without falling apart. I can't figure out who takes the additional minutes. Bass can't play the post, and there is no one else. Losing Diop may be the worst part of the deal, even though he hasn't been that great this year.

Where do they get bodies to fill out their bench?

SUMG · February 14, 2008

Even though I'm not sure he can play post in the NBA....I think the Mavs might bring up 1st round draft choice, Nick Fauzekas....from the D-League. He's 6'11, but might be more of a 4 than a 5.

NTPhiKap99 · February 14, 2008

Even though I'm not sure he can play post in the NBA....I think the Mavs might bring up 1st round draft choice, Nick Fauzekas....from the D-League. He's 6'11, but might be more of a 4 than a 5.

He's got to be 4 but I'm sure they have to bring him up when you trade 5 player for 2 it leaves a few holes even if Stack does re-sign and they make the deal for Wright.

SUMG · February 14, 2008

He's got to be 4 but I'm sure they have to bring him up when you trade 5 player for 2 it leaves a few holes even if Stack does re-sign and they make the deal for Wright.

Last time I heard his stats....Nick was doing well at Tulsa (18 ppg and around 10 rpg).....as I recall.

Edit: Here are the current stats for Tulsa's team:

http://www.nba.com/dleague/tulsa/statistics/

Edited February 14, 2008 by SUMG

UNT_92_Fan · February 14, 2008

Mavs forward George blocks trade of Kidd to Mavs
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: February 13, 2008, 8:57 PM ET
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With the New Jersey Nets poised to complete a blockbuster deal to send Jason Kidd back to Dallas on Wednesday night, Mavericks reserve forward Devean George has unexpectedly exercised his right to block the trade, according to NBA front-office sources. Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that the teams verbally agreed to the deal earlier Wednesday and were preparing to submit the trade for league approval when George informed the Mavericks that he wouldn't consent to being included in the deal, which is his right based on a rare provision in his one-year contract.
No Kidding Around
Jason Kidd, despite being a month away from turning 35, is still producing at a high level. Only two others, Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson, have met his averages (below) over the course of a season, and they did so in their early- and mid-20s.
Kidd by the numbers
Career 2007-08
Points 14.3 11.3
Assists 9.2 10.4
Rebounds 6.7 8.1
FG Pct. 40.1 *36.6
*Career worst
The deal -- salvaged from talks on a three-way trade with Portland that developed and fizzled quickly two weeks ago -- has Dallas sending 24-year-old point guard Devin Harris, veteran swingman Jerry Stackhouse, the expiring contracts of center DeSagana Diop and George and guard Maurice Ager to New Jersey for Kidd and forward Malik Allen.
Sources say Dallas would also send the Nets the league-maximum $3 million, the Mavs' first-round draft pick this June and a first-rounder in 2010.
Kidd was with the Nets in Toronto, but didn't talk to the media before the game. He and Allen were both inactive, along with reserve Antoine Wright.
ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard reports that the Nets and the Mavs were likewise poised to complete a separate trade that will send swingman Wright to Dallas for a future second-round pick.
Before Dallas' game against Portland on Wednesday night, Mavs coach Avery Johnson wasn't ready to call the trade complete.
"What trade?" he asked reporters, then added, "all it is is speculation."
Dallas had widely been considered the favorite to win the Kidd trade sweepstakes, despite the repeated attempts of Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to publicly dismiss the idea of parting with multiple regulars for Kidd. Cuban told several New York-based reporters before New Jersey beat Dallas on Sunday that a deal for All-Star floor leader would severely weaken his roster.
"For us to make the numbers work in a deal like that, we'd have to trade away half the team," Cuban said. "We're not doing that, so it just doesn't work. And we like our team. We've got a lot of room for improvement and we hope to get better. But right now, I just don't see anything happening.
Yet sources close to the process insist that the talks had heated up within the past 24 hours, with the Mavs still tantalized by the prospect of bringing Kidd back more than a decade after the pre-Cuban regime drafted him out of Cal, watched him share rookie of the year honors with Grant Hill in 1994-95 and then traded him to Phoenix on the day after Christmas in 1996.
Stackhouse's agent told him he was on the move.
"Now I think it's pretty much a done deal," Stackhouse told The Associated Press earlier Wednesday.
The Nets were expected to buy out Stackhouse's contract immediately, which would have enabled him to re-sign with Dallas if he waits 30 days.
"I feel great. I get 30 days to rest, then I'll be right back," Stackhouse said. "I ain't going nowhere."
That might be more true than he knew.
Senior writer Marc Stein covers the NBA for ESPN.com.