Updated Jan. 29
A kingmaker has now officially put himself out there.
Jason Kidd has done all the right things to secure a trade out of New Jersey. He's played hard and been so productive in notching a league-leading 11 triple-doubles that it's been easy to overlook a shooting percentage that has slipped under 37 percent.
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| Jason Kidd is ready to look his best in a new jersey. (AP) |
He's 34 years old. He's got a surgically repaired left knee and he's waxing poetic like a retiring surfer about the wave he has ridden in Jersey now being spent.
Contenders normally wouldn't trip over themselves to acquire an aging guard who can't shoot straight, especially when his demand going public hurts his current team's bargaining position. Fortunately for the Nets, this is not a conventional player or situation.
It's the guy deemed the most valuable player on the U.S. National Team that won the FIBAs this past summer despite the fact he attempted one shot per game. It's the player other superstars would surrender millions to have join their team.
New Jersey GM Rod Thorn knows what he has and is under no pressure to appease Kidd immediately. This could've been prevented had the Nets fared better on a road trip in which they blew fourth-quarter leads at Golden State and Minnesota, but they crumbled and are in obvious need of a facelift. Expect this to drag out the way the Allen Iverson situation did in Philadelphia last season.
It might take at least three teams to get a deal done, but New Jersey is looking for expiring contracts, draft picks and one or two young players who will be ready to blossom when the team moves to Brooklyn in 2010 and won't surrender its top commodity for anything less.
Because it makes sense only for a team in contention to take on the financial burden of acquiring Kidd, this situation will differ from Iverson's in that only a handful of teams will seriously inquire about what it may take to get him. That said, phone calls will still go out to teams like the Clippers, Sonics and Knicks, who do have pieces available that can help facilitate a deal.
Rumors are going to start to fly, some of which you can immediately discard, like the one making the rounds that Denver has offered up Iverson.
Another, that a move for Devin Harris would have to wait until the Mavericks point guard mends, also makes no sense. Why would New Jersey pass on exactly the type of player they covet just because he won't be back until mid-February? As it stands now, Mark Cuban has no desire to deal Harris, considered Dallas' long-term solution at the point. If anyone is likely to be moved out of Dallas, it would be veteran Jason Terry, who was dangled in talks with the Clippers during the offseason.
In L.A., Andrew Bynum is obviously off limits, but there's no reason to believe Jordan Farmar is. After all, can you imagine the tantrums Kobe Bryant would throw if he found out Kidd was available and the Lakers didn't pull the trigger? Oh wait, you don't have to. We've already seen what he's capable of.
Ultimately, this might become a bidding war between the Lakers and Mavericks, the two teams most desperate to capitalize on their window of opportunity.
In the race to the 2008 postseason, Kidd looks to be the major domino. This won't happen overnight, because at this point, the Nets have time on their side. However, as the days pass and teams get increasingly desperate approaching the Feb. 21 trade deadline, someone will come up with an offer Thorn will pull the trigger on, giving Kidd a new wave to ride.
The week's Power Rankings:
| Power Rankings | ||||||||||
| Current | Team | Previous | ||||||||
 | 1 | Lakers · Trends | 5 | |||||||
| Kobe Bryant tops 40 for 100th time; just 171 more to catch Chamberlain. ... Gasol (24 and 13 in season debut vs. Bulls) is best Lakers big man since Little Dipper -- Shaq. | ||||||||||
 | 2 | Magic · Trends | 4 | |||||||
| Three nice wins dwarfed by one huge loss -- Jameer Nelson to knee surgery. ... New look, same result: Vince Carter outplays Rasheed Wallace in playoff rematch. | ||||||||||
 | 3 | Cavaliers · Trends | 1 | |||||||
| Club leads by 17, then loses by 17 at Washington. ... Maybe this is why LeBron didn't pick 13 as his new number: Teammate Delonte West beat him to it. | ||||||||||
 | 4 | Hawks · Trends | 2 | |||||||
| No. 1 in home record (7-0), No. 17 in home attendance. ... Shot of week is closest one: Josh Smith spikes home game winner vs. Rockets. | ||||||||||
 | 5 | Suns · Trends | 6 | |||||||
| Shaq couldn't do this: New center Channing Frye has at least one 3 in all 14 games, 38 in all. ... 13 vs. 13: Nash leads Wilt in all-time assists 7,667-4,643. | ||||||||||
 | 6 | Nuggets · Trends | 3 | |||||||
| Looking to move back up: Next five against Nets, Timberwolves twice, Knicks, Warriors. ... Nothing is automatic: Loss to Clippers was first since 2007. | ||||||||||
 | 7 | Celtics · Trends | 7 | |||||||
| Non-elite team, non-elite star: Kevin Garnett is 72nd in league in scoring, 27th in rebounding. ... Celtics, Knicks go to overtime for 32nd time in history. | ||||||||||
 | 8 | Mavericks · Trends | 10 | |||||||
| Erick Dampier out of the lineup, team goes on winning streak. Coincidence? ... Replacement center Drew Gooden goes 11-14-11-16 on boards in his first four starts. | ||||||||||
 | 9 | Trail Blazers · Trends | 9 | |||||||
| Embarrassed club rebounds from loss at Golden State with 28-, 24-point romps. ... Warriors (108) only foe to reach 100 this month. | ||||||||||
 | 10 | Rockets · Trends | 11 | |||||||
| Impressive aspect of 8-6 record: Rugged schedule that's included Lakers, Blazers twice apiece. ... Tracy McGrady returns to practice, says he's ready to go. Now what? | ||||||||||
 | 11 | Jazz · Trends | 18 | |||||||
| Out of nowhere: Wesley Matthews starting, Jazz winning. ... Triumph at San Antonio is first in 10-plus years. | ||||||||||
 | 12 | Bucks · Trends | 15 | |||||||
| No Andrew Bogut, no defense: Grizzlies, Spurs average 105 after just three of Milwaukee's first 10 foes top 100. ... Michael Redd returns vs. Spurs, goes 1 for 6 from line. | ||||||||||
 | 13 | Heat · Trends | 8 | |||||||
| Team losing (four of six), but Michael Beasley's numbers picking up (19.7 points, 10.0 rebounds last three). ... Last two wins: 1-pointers over Nets, Hornets. | ||||||||||
 | 14 | Spurs · Trends | 14 | |||||||
| Matt Bonner (23 points) an unlikely star in win over Bucks. ... It's a long season: Team won't rush Manu Ginobili (groin) back. | ||||||||||
 | 15 | Thunder · Trends | 17 | |||||||
| Sixth Man Award nominee: James Harden drops in 24, 25 points in consecutive games off bench. ... Another comeback looms: More knee surgery for Shaun Livingston. | ||||||||||
 | 16 | Raptors · Trends | 12 | |||||||
| Two Western trips, same results: Win first game, lose rest. ... Jarrett Jack picking up steam: 17 points vs. Heat, 11 assists vs. Magic. | ||||||||||
 | 17 | Bulls · Trends | 13 | |||||||
| "Circus Trip" turning into circus: Club drubbed by Lakers, Nuggets, Blazers. ... Best No. 13 center in game today: Gotta be Joakim Noah. | ||||||||||
 | 18 | Hornets · Trends | 23 | |||||||
| New coach winning with new look: Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison excel during three-game streak. ... Finally a break in schedule: Two apiece vs. Kings, Timberwolves in 11-day stretch. | ||||||||||
 | 19 | Bobcats · Trends | 20 | |||||||
| First win of Stephen Jackson era: He's nailed with technical in victory over Pacers. ... Jackson factor? Gerald Wallace held to 11 points in three of new teammate's four games. | ||||||||||
 | 20 | Pacers · Trends | 16 | |||||||
| Losing streak has silver lining: Mike Dunleavy is cleared to return to practice. ... Tar Heels coach Roy Williams watches Tyler Hansbrough lose in North Carolina homecoming. | ||||||||||
 | 21 | Wizards · Trends | 24 | |||||||
| Club's three wins followed by 11-, 12-, 19-point losses. ... One problem: Gilbert Arenas is averaging 20 shots in past six games, making 34 percent. | ||||||||||
 | 22 | Pistons · Trends | 19 | |||||||
| Tough trip, rough outcomes: Losses to Lakers, Blazers, Jazz, Suns. ... How the mighty have fallen: Someone named Jonas Jerebko is starting at forward. | ||||||||||
 | 23 | 76ers · Trends | 22 | |||||||
| How to blow possible upset: 10-point fourth melts late lead vs. Cavs. ... Improvement noted: Elton Brand averaging 19.7 points, 10.3 rebounds in last three after 9.8, 5.3 in first 10 games. | ||||||||||
 | 24 | Kings · Trends | 21 | |||||||
| Club survives scare: Tyreke Evans' middle finger is sprained, not broken. ... Streaky team has three-, four-game losing skids sandwiching four-game winning run. | ||||||||||
 | 25 | Clippers · Trends | 25 | |||||||
| Go figure: Baron Davis shoots 4-for-21 combined in wins over Nuggets, Timberwolves. ... Another Clippers low: Broadcasters ejected for comments about Grizzlies' Hamed Haddadi. | ||||||||||
 | 26 | Warriors · Trends | 26 | |||||||
| Making new friends: Injured Raja Bell leads spirited effort at Boston, then leaves for wrist surgery. ... Just thinking of Mark Cuban makes Don Nelson sick; he sits out Southwest trip. | ||||||||||
 | 27 | Grizzlies · Trends | 27 | |||||||
| Lightweight champ: Team beats Timberwolves, Clippers, 76ers, Kings in 10-day stretch. ... Nobody hotter than Rudy Gay: 41 for 72 (.569), 25.5 average in last four games. | ||||||||||
 | 28 | Knicks · Trends | 28 | |||||||
| Winning can be comical: Nate Robinson shoots at wrong basket in victory over Nets. ... Sad state of Allen Iverson: Even Knicks say he's not worthy. | ||||||||||
 | 29 | Timberwolves · Trends | 29 | |||||||
| Team has failed to score more than 87 points in the last six games (all losses). ... No holiday treat: Second and final showdown with Nets looms Dec. 23. | ||||||||||
 | 30 | Nets · Trends | 30 | |||||||
| Better days ahead: Devin Harris returns in loss to Knicks. ... Looking for first win? Club visits Sacramento during weeklong Western trip. | ||||||||||
