<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Jason Kidd, step right up. You're next in line in the Mavericks' version of The Price is Right. "Price" being the operative word in any discussion involving Kidd, the latest but certainly not the last NBA superstar linked to the Mavs in a trade scenario. If Kidd does indeed want out of New Jersey, as has been widely speculated, and, if the Nets are willing to move their best player, the Mavs won't have any qualms about jumping into the bidding, provided some serious monetary conditions are met. The Mavs, according to league sources, aren't about to take on Kidd's enormous contract without dumping some of their own salaries into the Jersey swamps. Because Kidd is owed $90 million over the next five years, simply taking on his contract straight up for Antoine Walker, for example, doesn't make much financial sense. Otherwise, the Mavs could have signed Steve Nash for $25 million less than the outlay it would take to add Kidd. One team source scoffed at reports suggesting a deal that would send Walker, Josh Howard and a No. 1 draft pick to New Jersey for Kidd. "Don't bother pursuing that one," the source said. Kidd is due to be paid $14.8 million in the coming season, while Walker will be making $14.6 million in the last year of his contract. Those salaries are within 15 percent of each other, the league requirement for a trade, but the Mavs also would want to move some of their multiyear contracts. Their goal would be to break even on a Kidd trade for at least two years. For the Mavs to do so, other players would have to be included, or the Nets would have to agree to take a player or players under a $10.3 million trade exception acquired when they traded Kerry Kittles to the Los Angeles Clippers for a draft pick last week. The Nets, who recently traded Kenyon Martin for draft picks, are cutting payroll under new ownership. Among the players the Mavs could look to move are recently acquired Calvin Booth (three years remaining, $19 million), Jerry Stackhouse (three years, $22.5 million), Tariq Abdul-Wahad (three years, $22 million), Tony Delk (two years, $6.5 million) and Christian Laettner (one year, $6.2 million). The Mavs don't appear interested in moving Michael Finley (four years, $66.4 million) in a deal for Kidd. It's no secret the Mavs are willing to entertain trade discussions when it comes to high-profile players. They pursued Shaquille O'Neal vigorously and remain interested in Toronto's Vince Carter. Kidd, despite recently undergoing micro-fracture knee surgery and turning 31 this year, would shore up the point guard position, provided he's healthy. He began his career with the Mavs and was the 1994-95 co-Rookie of the Year before being traded to Phoenix early in his third season. He has averaged 9.4 assists per game in his 10-year career. Without specifically addressing Kidd's situation in New Jersey, Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson maintained the team's willingness to explore all avenues for improvement. "All the major names bandied about have some interest," Nelson said. "We have an interest in getting better defensively, making significant upgrades to our roster and giving our young group enough to make a run in the playoffs." There is some concern within the organization of the effect Kidd would have on Devin Harris' development. After serving as a top-notch tutor for Steve Nash in Phoenix, Kidd would assume the same role for the Mavs' rookie point guard. But if Harris is ready to assume control in a year or two, having Kidd on the roster could stunt his development. Such a script, however, didn't scare off the San Antonio Spurs last summer. The NBA champs courted Kidd heavily despite having promising young point guard Tony Parker in place. The Spurs believed Kidd and Parker could play together in the backcourt, and the Mavs' coaching staff would try to make a similar pairing work with Kidd and Harris. A multi-player deal for Kidd also could free up some roster spots. The Mavs have 16 players under contract, not including Avery Johnson. Nelson said players acquired in trades this summer, such as Stackhouse, Laettner and Booth, plus some already on the roster help make blockbuster deals possible. "These base hits put you in position to hit a grand slam," Nelson said. "There's no such thing as a grand slam until the bases are loaded. If you do the right thing consistently with smaller moves, it makes it easier to do bigger moves. "Smaller moves also protect against something unforeseen happening, like Nash leaving. If we didn't trade [Antawn] Jamison, we wouldn't have had Devin Harris."</div> Well if the mavs say they are not about to make a bid for kidd without dumping some of there own contracts that may ultimitly lead to them not making a successful trade for kidd. Think about at this point the nets are once again on there way to becoming one of the worst teams in the nba after three years of success. They are looking to dump all contracts before moving to NY. So if they are looking to get well under the salary cap and soon offer RJ the max deal. Why would they take more huge contracts in a trade for kidd that would beniefit the other team more than them? I am dying that this trade not go down because we all saw what he did in NJ with practicly no run team his first year with the mavs a already established fast break team. I hate to think about how that would be for other western teams to compete with/ Though there defense would probable make it easier to compete with them if that scenario went down.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting aldrin_only:</div><div class="quote_post">Well who will play the PG slot for the mavs???</div> Do you mean without kidd? Terry-Harris-Daniels
The Mavericks don't need to make any moves for Kidd. If New Jersey were to give up Kidd, it's almost certain that they'd want Daniels or Harris in return, a move that Nelson would be stupid to pull off, since Harris and Daniels are both young and full of potential. Besides, it's not like Dallas is weak at PG or anything; they're set at that position with the trio of Terry, Harris and Daniels.
Getting Dampier makes me feel a lot more comfortable about the Mavs chances over the next couple years. I would love to see Kidd in this lineup at point guard but have no qualms turning the team over to Daniels, Harris and Terry. The point of the story is that a financial deal might make sense. Let's say for example the Mavs send Terry, Wahad, Eschmier for Kidd. The advantage to New Jersey is they save about $50 million bucks over five years and get one player of value (Terry). The Mavs get a great point guard without really spending any more money than they already would. Well, I put my faith in Donnie! He won't send Daniels or Howard or Devin Harris, and it that's what it takes, I wouldn't do it. But the Mavs can absorb Kidd's salary. By the way, I didn't mention Stackhouse, who I think could be dealt for a great backup power forward, since we are a little thin a the four right now. And hey, don't rule out Vince Carter either.
^^^^dont rule out Kurt Thomas either. I say dont go for Kidd cuz we got 3 quality point gaurds, (not counting Quis') when picking up Dickau. I say use Stackhouse to get us KT, but if we use him to get VC I wouldnt mind, their both injury prone but I'd rather watch Air Canada. Is Avery on our Roster
