Deron Williams is back with the Nets, but he recorded one assist for the rival Knicks.
Jason Kidd was set to re-sign with the Mavericks until a round of golf on June 28 in the Hamptons with his good friend Williams convinced him otherwise. Kidd then decided to sign with the Knicks for the same three-year, $9.08 million deal he would have received from the Mavericks.
According to Kidd, he and Williams both had the Mavericks on top of their free-agent wish lists until the pair of point guards broke down Dallas’ diminished roster.
“I was with my good friend Deron, and I am looking at him and he talked to me about it and the reason why he thought he couldn’t go was because of the [Mavericks] roster,” Kidd said in an interview yesterday on WFAN.
“I kind of looked at it, too and I backed off and I looked at it and said, ‘Hey, New York has a chance to be successful. I can help those guys win.’ ”
Kidd confirmed his agent, the Knicks and Mavericks were discussing a potential sign-and-trade in lieu of a straight free-agent signing. Now the question becomes what role Kidd will play with the team he once tormented as a member of the Nets.
The Post has reported the Knicks will match the Rockets’ offer sheet for Jeremy Lin, who likely will be the starter at point guard.
“I am here to help coach [Mike] Woodson and the Knicks,” Kidd said. “As long as he wants me to play, I am a little bit older now, so if it’s off the bench or it’s to start, whatever he needs me to do, I am open to it. At the end of the day, I understand how important the last six minutes of the game are. Hopefully, I can be on the floor at that time.”
Kidd was impressed by what his soon-to-be teammate displayed during the Linsanity run.
“I think he has all the tools to be a consistent point guard in this league, people are deceived by size and strength,” Kidd said. “My job in helping him is just to understand the time and situation, when to score and when to get your teammates going.”