TORONTO — It was in December, one opposing coach recalled, that a member of the New Jersey Nets ‘ front office was talking to him about Jason Kidd .
“He said that Jason wanted to go to Dallas,” the coach recalled.
Kidd is getting his wish.
Multiple front office sources in the NBA confirmed the Nets and Mavs are close to completing a mega eight player deal that will send Kidd, the player most responsible for the basketball renaissance in New Jersey, to Dallas where he started his pro career.
The deal was not formalized but multiple sources indicated it was “all but done,” as one source put it.
One person very close to the talks cautioned that though the deal was “imminent,” there are still some issues.
“It is not done,” the source said.
Yet.
The Nets, who will save roughly $11 million in salary cap space for next season, will receive coveted guard Devin Harris, forward Devean George, center DeSagana Diop, swingman Jerry Stackhouse, guard Maurice Ager, plus two No. 1 picks (2008, 2010), a second-rounder (TBD) and $3 million cash.
The Mavs also receive forward Malik AllenMalik Allen and swingman Antoine Wright.
The Nets and Mavs had long talked trade but couldn’t make it work. And they also tried to work out a three-team trade that failed.
“I think Dallas felt they had to do something,” said one rival NBA exec, alluding to significant moves made in the Western Conference, moves that included the Lakers acquiring Pau Gasol and the Suns trading for Shaquille O’Neal.
Dallas lost back-to-back road games to the Nets and Sixers before facing Portland at home last night. The Nets are here in Toronto and were preparing to play the Raptors with nine men last night.
Kidd has played 997 career games, including 984 starts, and has averaged 14.3 points per game, 9.2 assists and 6.7 rebounds. Despite being 35, Kidd currently is enjoying one of the best all-around seasons of his entire career. Although his points per game average is 11.3, three below his career mark, he is having his second-best assist season ever, averaging 10.4 per game, and also has the second-highest rebounding average for his team.
This trade takes Kidd’s career full-circle, back to his home for the first 2-½ years of his career. Kidd won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award in the 1994-95 season, when he averaged 11.7 points, 7.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds. He was later traded to Phoenix in December 1996, along with Tony Dumas and Loren Meyer, for Sam Cassell, Michael Finley, A.C. Green and future draft considerations.
After 4-½ years in Phoenix, Kidd then came to the Meadowlands in July 2001, along with Chris Dudley, for Stephon Marbury, Johnny Newman and Soumalia Samake.
Upon Kidd’s arrival, the Nets reached the NBA Finals in both 2002 and 2003, his first two teams with the league.
Since Kidd was traded to Phoenix, he has been on a playoff team each of the past 11 seasons, and that streak will almost assuredly run that streak to 12 straight seasons now that he’s headed to Dallas.
In 100 playoff games, Kidd has averaged 15.9 points, 9.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Posted by web editor on February 13, 2008 02:21