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Last night my son came in from walking the dog to tell me Sirius radio was reporting the Dallas Mavericks had acquired Jason Kidd from the New Jersey Nets in a trade. I wasn't that thrilled with the news. Personally, I think Kidd is highly overrated: I have yet to see him make a team he's been traded to appreciably better. The second thing that bothered me is that the Nets seem to get the better of other teams in any trade.
Anyway, I immediately checked the Web site of Dallas' only daily and found no word of a trade there, so I figured nothing was happening.
Wrong. A deal was nearly made and still might be made. It involves the Mavs, the Nets and the Portland Trailblazers. The latest word is that the Mavericks would send Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse and either forward Brandon Bass or center DeSegana Diop to Portland. Portland would then send Stackhouse, Travis Outlaw, Channing Frye and Jarrett Jack to New Jersey who would then ship Kidd to Dallas.
I don't like this deal. It is obviously designed to make the Mavs more of a contender now at the expense of the future. The thinking is that the Mavs' collapse against Miami in the 2006 finals and against the Warriors in the first round last year were the result of two problems: lack of toughness down the stretch and the inability of the guards to get the ball into either Dirk Nowitzki or Josh Howard. The thinking is that Kidd will solve both of these problems and, you know what, he just might.
Here' are my problems with the deal, though. I'm wondering how it jives with NBA rules about trading for folks with equal salaries. Dallas would be giving up about $12.9 million in salaries ($11.5 if Bass is in the deal and Diop isn't) while inheriting Kidd's $19.7 million contract.
But mainly I'm not big on this deal because I don't think the acquisition of Kidd at the expense of Harris, Stackhouse and Bass/Diop makes the Mavericks a better team than, say, Phoenix, which seems to be the class of the Western Conference this season. However, I see this as the last season Phoenix has a chance to win the big prize and I think the San Antonio Spurs have already reached their "sell-by" date. That positions a Mavericks team with a seasoned Harris and Bass to be in excellent shape to dominate the West for at least a couple of years beginning next season. I also don't like the idea of giving up either Bass, who has been the best backup Nowitzki has had since he's been on the team or Diop, who has been one of the main reasons Dallas has had so much success agaisnt San Antonio and Tim Duncan of late.
As I understand it, however, this deal was just about done 24 hours ago, but then Portland started having second thoughts about parting with three hot prospects, especially the way Outlaw has come along this year. I really think the folks in Portland are just drooling anticipating a starting front line next season that would put Outlaw and LaMarcus Aldridge alongside Greg Oden. From what I gather, Portland is now willing to trade a package that consists of Jack and point guard Sergio Rodriguez (which makes more sense if the Trailblazers are acquiring Harris), but that's as far as they intend to go. That's apparently not far enough for New Jersey and I can understand that position as well. If the Nets traded Kidd for Stackhouse, Rodriguez and Jack, New Jersey fans would think Isiah Thomas had crossed the Hudson.
I also think Harris' ankle injury is playing a big part in Portland's newfound reluctance. So right now the talks have apparently stalled. However, Harris is expected to return long before the Feb 21 trading deadline and, depending on his post-recovery performance, the talks could certainly heat up again.
Anyway, I immediately checked the Web site of Dallas' only daily and found no word of a trade there, so I figured nothing was happening.
Wrong. A deal was nearly made and still might be made. It involves the Mavs, the Nets and the Portland Trailblazers. The latest word is that the Mavericks would send Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse and either forward Brandon Bass or center DeSegana Diop to Portland. Portland would then send Stackhouse, Travis Outlaw, Channing Frye and Jarrett Jack to New Jersey who would then ship Kidd to Dallas.
I don't like this deal. It is obviously designed to make the Mavs more of a contender now at the expense of the future. The thinking is that the Mavs' collapse against Miami in the 2006 finals and against the Warriors in the first round last year were the result of two problems: lack of toughness down the stretch and the inability of the guards to get the ball into either Dirk Nowitzki or Josh Howard. The thinking is that Kidd will solve both of these problems and, you know what, he just might.
Here' are my problems with the deal, though. I'm wondering how it jives with NBA rules about trading for folks with equal salaries. Dallas would be giving up about $12.9 million in salaries ($11.5 if Bass is in the deal and Diop isn't) while inheriting Kidd's $19.7 million contract.
But mainly I'm not big on this deal because I don't think the acquisition of Kidd at the expense of Harris, Stackhouse and Bass/Diop makes the Mavericks a better team than, say, Phoenix, which seems to be the class of the Western Conference this season. However, I see this as the last season Phoenix has a chance to win the big prize and I think the San Antonio Spurs have already reached their "sell-by" date. That positions a Mavericks team with a seasoned Harris and Bass to be in excellent shape to dominate the West for at least a couple of years beginning next season. I also don't like the idea of giving up either Bass, who has been the best backup Nowitzki has had since he's been on the team or Diop, who has been one of the main reasons Dallas has had so much success agaisnt San Antonio and Tim Duncan of late.
As I understand it, however, this deal was just about done 24 hours ago, but then Portland started having second thoughts about parting with three hot prospects, especially the way Outlaw has come along this year. I really think the folks in Portland are just drooling anticipating a starting front line next season that would put Outlaw and LaMarcus Aldridge alongside Greg Oden. From what I gather, Portland is now willing to trade a package that consists of Jack and point guard Sergio Rodriguez (which makes more sense if the Trailblazers are acquiring Harris), but that's as far as they intend to go. That's apparently not far enough for New Jersey and I can understand that position as well. If the Nets traded Kidd for Stackhouse, Rodriguez and Jack, New Jersey fans would think Isiah Thomas had crossed the Hudson.
I also think Harris' ankle injury is playing a big part in Portland's newfound reluctance. So right now the talks have apparently stalled. However, Harris is expected to return long before the Feb 21 trading deadline and, depending on his post-recovery performance, the talks could certainly heat up again.
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