Jason Kidd was “on strike” last night, several team sources claimed. He essentially called in sick, perhaps seeking to force a trade from the Nets or gain a contract extension.
Coach Lawrence Frank said Kidd phoned him complaining of a migraine yesterday at about 2 p.m. Kidd never showed for the Nets’ 100-93 defeat against the Knicks, also short-handed, at the Meadowlands last night.
“Everyone is going to have to sit down and figure out where we go from here,” one source claimed.
Maybe it was the contract extension he sought and did not receive. Maybe it is the general state of the team, which fell back below .500. Maybe it is a desire for a trade. Whatever the reason, the apparent protest by Kidd to show his value to the team came against the division rival Knicks.
“He’s on strike,” one team source said.
The Nets proved how much they need Kidd, losing to the 6-11 Knicks, who were without Eddy Curry and Stephon Marbury.
“It’s tough,” Vince Carter (19 points, 46 minutes) said of playing without Kidd. “J-Kidd is very valuable to this team. He does a lot of things on both ends of the court.”
One teammate claimed, “I can’t picture Jason doing that. I would be disappointed if he did.”
Another source said the Nets were planning on – if not already – talking to Dallas, the Lakers and perhaps Cleveland about a trade. Kidd nearly was traded to the Lakers last February.
Kidd played 30 minutes Tuesday in Cleveland and chatted with LeBron James afterwards. Both have expressed the desire to be teammates. James sat his fourth straight game with a sprained finger.
Conspiracy theorists, here’s you space.
“Right now my thoughts are with this game,” Frank said when asked about Kidd.
The Nets, who fell to 9-10 and 4-7 at home, played with just eight available bodies. Josh Boone, down with a migraine (he has a history of the ailment) was on the bench for the second half but did not play. Jamal Crawford scored 29 and Zach Randolph had 25 for the Knicks. Richard Jefferson scored 31 points in defeat.
Kidd’s pregame no-show caused immediate consternation within the organization because of the All-Star’s recent unhappiness over the team nixing his agent’s bid for a one-year, $13 million contract extension. Kidd vented about the team in Utah, claiming the club possessed a glass jaw while expressing doubts about the future. After a sit-down with team president Rod Thorn, Kidd backed off.
Until last night. Kidd loves beating the Knicks. The Nets are 23-2 including playoffs against the Knicks with Kidd on the floor. And Kidd has been nail- tough through the years. He hadn’t missed a game since Feb. 14 at Toronto, when a back ailment stopped him. That was the final game before All-Star weekend, and Kidd returned after the break. So when he didn’t show, speculation was rampant.
For the Knicks, Curry was lost to a sprained ankle and Marbury was home with family, preparing to bury his father today. For the Nets, Antoine Wright (shoulder) sat a second straight game. Nenad Krstic has been shut down. Carter (strained calf) played after an MRI exam was negative.
So Eddie Gill (four points, fouled out) started for the ninth time in his career – first as a Net – in place of Kidd. With Wright out, the Nets were down to one perimeter player, Bostjan Nachbar, plus Jamaal Magloire and Sean Williams.
Without Kidd, the Nets struggled offensively. The Knicks led, 51-42, at halftime, by 14 in the fourth. The Nets got to within five twice. Along the way, the Nets fell behind double-digits at home for was the eighth straight game and ninth in 11 games. As if the injuries weren’t enough, half of the available team – Malik Allen, Jason Collins, Gill and Williams – had three fouls apiece by halftime.
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Nets guard Marcus Williams (foot) worked out on consecutive days for the first time. He could practice Saturday.
Knicks 100 Nets 93