Devin Does Jersey (Proud)

Ok, naysayers, how are you feeling about the Jason Kidd trade now?

Devin Harris is the Net point guard of the future - any questions after tonight's premier performance, please see me after class.

Yeah, we won't get too carried away, since it was his first game against a mediocre Bucks team, but Harris was the tipping point tonight, scoring 16 of his 21 points in helping the Nets take the big, early lead, and then settling down the troops (and dropping the hammer on the Bucks with a drive through the lane and slam) when the Nets lead was slipping late in the third quarter. And he got a sing-song chant of love several times during the games from Netsfans - Dev-in Har-ris...

Combined with just about the entire team (suspiciously, Sean Williams was planted on the bench) playing well, the Nets set a season high in scoring with 120. Carter and Jefferson were good, Boki was big late, Boone was steady, even Nenad Krstic had his moments.

And Marcus Williams, the starter for now (and maybe for the last time) was again good with the ball, if not his shot.

Yes, there wasn't much in the way of defense, but the Nets did what they had to do late to finish off the Bucks, so it wasn't a total loss.

I'll get a game review up as soon as I can tomorrow, but for now, well, welcome to New Jersey, Devin Harris.

Joe

The Road Ahead

Been a long week, full of snow and emergency room visits (that's what happens when the kids are home from school for a week). Got a lot to catch up on, which I hope to finish tonight.

First, good bye to Jamaal Magloire, who was waived the other day. Not sure what the problem was, really, but he was never able to convince Lawrence Frank that he could help. I'm sure we'll hear more about it in the coming months.

Next, Keith Van Horn is on the team but won't be made available for anyone. Talk about taking all the fun out of things.

Jason Kidd had a lousy debut against Chris Paul the other night, but in his second Mavs game (against the Grizzlies, who might have a hard time beating a NBADL team) he threw out 15 dimes, so clearly he can make that team go.

The Nets lost their defensive focus last night and lost a ball game they could have won against Indiana. Have to watch the game tape, will get both Indy reviews up late tonight.

I'm sure there's more, but the emergency room at Hackensack U. Medical Center robbed me of the precious brain cells I need to get things done. Off in search of coffee.

One last thought, though - with Jason Kidd out of here, I'm stuck with about 40% of my illustration inventory being Kidd. Gonna be tough to be creative with what's left, unless my retired cartoonist can somehow be convinced to come back on board...

Joe

Done Deal

So Dave D. is reporting that Keith Van Horn has signed off on his return to the New Jersey Nets, which means the Jason Kidd trade can go through.

Here's what it appears to be: Kidd and Malik Allen to the Mavs for Devin George, Desagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, and Van Horn, plus 2 first round picks (2008 and 2010) and $3 million cash. A separate deal is Antoine Wright to the Mavs for the Mavs' $1.6 million trade exemption.

So, the Kidd era is over. We're planning some sort of retrospective, but suffice it to say the man was huge to the franchise.

Now your roster will eventually look like this:

5 G's - Vince Carter, Devin Harris, Marcus Williams, Darrell Armstrong, Trenton Hassell

6 F - Richard Jefferson, Nenad Krstic, Boki Nachbar, Sean Williams, Maurice Ager (also plays G), Keith Van Horn

3 C's - Josh Boone, Desagana Diop, Jamaal Magloire

Try and win with that.

Figure the trades aren't over, even if they don't happen before February 21. Diop and Van Horn expire at season's end, clearing some space, as does Magloire's one year deal, assuming he's still around. I wouldn't expect Ager to stick around, nor Hassell, either. With 2 first rounders, there is potential to package or draft, get younger and more athletic and build around the PGs Harris and Williams.

But, frankly, nothing would surprise me anymore.

Joe

When Drama Turns To Comedy

The Jason Kidd to Dallas drama has now turned comical, with Keith Van Horn's approval being the only thing standing between a new address for Kidd, and a broken deal. How's that for irony?

"GM" Kidd was the one who essentially pushed Rod Thorn to cut VH loose after the 2002 NBA Finals, and now, Kidd needs VH to sign a deal for $4 million, pass a physical and actually report to the Nets and agree to hang out for at least 30 days in order for Kidd to get traded to Dallas, which is what just about everyone wants at this point.

Only VH ain't buying the BS being sold thus far. Guess he doesn't need the money, huh?

And the whole ragtag trade might go up in smoke for the last time. Imagine if Kidd (and poor Devin Harris) has to remain with his current team?

This deal is like a bad, cursed Eddie Murphy movie, only it's dragging on for days (now weeks, actually) not hours. There is no way for everyone to save face at this point, and frankly, it's getting so bizarre that killing the deal entirely might just be the best thing that could happen for both sides.

Hey, Jay, at least we tried - is what Rod Thorn would say.

The Mavs clearly botched this from the beginning, no matter you think it was a good trade or a bad trade. Assuming that Devean George would go willingly after requesting a trade, then being caught off guard when he balked. Scrambling to fix the deal and get Kidd the hell out of town, the Mavs would just sign the not-quite-retired VH and things would be great.

Only it appears no one checked with VH first.

Whoops, just one more minor snafu on the way to high comedy.

The Nets want the expiring contracts of Desagana Diop and George to clear cap space for the future as they look to retool. Ok, George is out, sign VH to a one year deal that expires, and take dead weight Trenton Hassell with you as well (but something tells me Lawrence Frank could make something out of Hassell, since no one else on the team appears willing to play much defense). So, 2 expiring contracts, 2 first round draft picks, and a decent point guard for the future (look, gripe all you want, but you weren't going to get Chris Paul or Deron Williams no matter what, so get over it) in place of Kidd. An excellent start to blowing it all up and starting again.

Rumor has it the Nets are still looking to move the recently resigned Vince Carter as well, perhaps even willing to take a chance on Jermaine O'Neal. Wow, the Nets could look completely different very soon, with flotsam and jetsam making up the majority of the roster as the Nets wait to get better talent in the off-season.

Regardless of what happens next, you can officially say the Nets season has gone from dramatic to comedic, and it almost hardly matters what happens from now until April as long as they rebuild on the fly for next season.

That's your lot, Netsfans - we need to figure out how to deal with it.

We'll be at the Izod on Wednesday to see which team the Nets field. Should prove interesting.

Especially if the deal isn't done by Wednesday around 7:30.

Joe

PS - and it looks like Antoine Wright is off to Dallas if this deal goes through, though I still have no idea if he's in separate deal for a second round pick or part of the big deal to make salaries work.

The Kidd Era Over

And in the end, it was meant to be. Jason Kidd has been traded to Dallas. Or at least we think so (depending on Keith Van Horn, apparently).

The deal: Kidd and Malik Allen to the Mavs for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Maurice Ager, newcomer to the deal Trenton Hassell, and the retired Keith Van Horn, plus two first round draft picks (in 2008 and 2010) and cash.

Jerry Stackhouse and Devean George were pulled from the reworked deal, one because he opened his mouth too quickly and one because he vetoed the original trade.

If the Van Horn deal passes muster, it's a done deal. If not...

So the Nets get Harris, the PG of the future, the expiring contract of Diop, Trenton Hassell, good defensively but seriously challenged offensively (like the Nets need that), and Maurice Ager, who little is apparently expected from. The ultimate irony is Van Horn returning to the Nets to NOT play.

With the picks included in the deal, expect the Nets to keep dealing to completely change the makeover of the team, either before the trading deadline on the 21st, or in the off-season. Jamaal Magloire is a good bet to go know, since Diop is essentially the same player, and perhaps Hassell (0r maybe he'll be bought out). Really, no one is untouchable, from Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson on down.

Can we please officially retire the "Big Three" nickname for eternity?

We'll clearly miss Kidd, the Nets will clearly struggle integrating the new players into the lineup, and lord knows the hangover we saw in Toronto on Wednesday is likely to continue. But VC and RJ need to find a way to step up their play, along with Harris, Sean Williams, Josh Boone, Marcus Williams, and Boki Nachbar, the new core of the team.

Change is a good thing, Netsfans - though no one wanted Kidd to go (at least until he decided it was time), he wasn't doing the Nets any favors by making waves. The Nets needed to get younger, more athletic and Harris will do just that. Don't fall in love with the triple double from here on out, it won't live here anymore.

More to say tomorrow, but at least now we know that Jason Kidd is officially out of here...here's to the future. We leave it in Rod Thorn and Kiki Vanderweighe's hands...

Joe

Back In The Saddle / What's The Holdup

Excellent trade for a point guard made yesterday - and it wasn't for Jason Kidd. The Hawks get Mike Bibby from the Kings for what amounts to scraps, really. Nicely done.

Now why can't the Kidd trade get done?

Been out of action all week - first, in Nashville for work, then illness in the house (damn, these bugs going around are horrific) for my son's 10th birthday. Happy birthday, dude, even if you spent it laying in bed with the horrible demon bug.

Anyway, back to Kidd. You know this is bad no matter what, right? Devean George apparently asked for a trade, then when he started getting playing time in place of the injured Jerry Stackhouse, suddenly he wants to stay, not give up his Bird rights etc etc. Any replacement in the trade (like, gulp, Keith Van Horn) doesn't appear to work out, and Rod Thorn wants expring contracts, not Trenton Hassell's 2 years and 9 million remaining.

Plus the whole stick-your-foot-in-your-mouth Jerry Stackhouse thing. Hell, think the Nets could use a shooter, even if he adds dollars to the cap?

So Kidd, who doesn't want to be here, either gets traded for less-than-optimal (read: not expiring contracts) parts, or he stays in NJ, where he truly doesn't want to be. Wow, that's a real win-win situation.

Kidd HAS to go - trust me, I don't say that lightly, especially considering what this team will be like without him (a glimpse of that came Wednesday night, the hangover post-Kidd is likely to last the rest of the season). Devin Harris, if he's coming, will be a fine player, but certainly different in style from Kidd (and therefore, running and gunning with Carter will be a nightmare, more so than it is now). But Kidd has to go, playoff spot or not. The Nets have to think future, thing retooling (and maybe, just maybe, with a huge open salary cap for 2010, when LeBron can be free...), and think younger. It's the only way - c'mon, argue with me that the era of the Big Three didnt' go on too long...

So if Bibby can go (and by the way, that's one of the big contenders for the last playoff spot in the East, something the Nets were hoping for, I would assume), why can't Kidd? Both the Nets and the Mavs will be too fractured in the locker room if it doesn't go through. And a fractured locker room never (well, almost never) makes it very far in the playoffs.

Get the deal done. Cuban, get off your ass, incent George to take something on his way out, and get a move on. Thorn, give the Mavs another player if that's what it takes (Malik Allen and Antoine Wright are more than expendable), and figure out some other trades while you're at it (please please PLEASE move Jamaal Magloire if coach isn't going to use him).

Make the whole thing go away by Thursday, I'm begging you. We need a new start, regardless of how great Kidd has been for the franchise. To keep him hanging around 'till summer, when you may get a better deal (and Kidd could get hurt again) is ludicrous.

Let me catch up to the two games I missed (watched the Wolves sleeper last night, I'll get a game review going now) and then we'll have more on the Kidd situation.

Joe

Kidd/Mavs/Wow

Jason Kidd to the Mavs is being reported as waiting on league approval as I write this from Nashville at 5:35 pm EST.

Wow.

The trade is said to be Kidd and Malik Allen for Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse (who likely will be bought out of his contract), Desagana Diop, Devean George, Maurice Ager, 2 first round picks (in 2008 and 2010). Antoine Wright is also reported headed to Dallas, although whether it's part of this deal or a separate deal for a second round pick wasn't clear to me.

While I would certainly wish Jason Kidd all the best as the person who single-handedly (along with Rod Thorn) changed the entire mojo of the franchise, this was a deal that had to happen. Lots of carping on the boards thus far about what a bad deal it is, but really, would there have been something better in the off-season? What if Kidd got hurt? He wasn't getting another deal from the Nets, and his value had decreased daily since he publically requested a move. Face it, Netsfans - this situation wasn't going to get better.

Can Harris be a quarter of what Kidd is? Most likely not (and maybe he's going to be moved again - who knows?), but he's a young player with an upside, who it appeared as late as yesterday would stay put in Dallas because Mark Cuban couldn't bare to part with him. At least he can be part of an offense with many different weapons, including Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, Nenad Krstic, and now even Sean Williams, who is playing a big part off the bench. Now, after being devoid of much talent up front, the Nets have a ton.

Josh Boone and Krstic as the starters - with Sean Williams, Stromile Swift, Diop and Jamaal Magloire (whom I would bet Thorn is actively trying to move as well) as backups up front.
Richard Jefferson, Boki Nachbar and George, a more reliable defensive stopper than Wright, at the small forward.

And for guards, assuming Stackhouse is bought out, you have Carter, Harris, Marcus Williams (who needs more PT, and should get it) and Darrell Armstrong.

That's 13 players right there, plus Maurice Ager, whom I personally know little about.

It will be interesting to see what that group can do, but again, like I said earlier, perhaps the Nets aren't done, and Harris (or anyone else) is a piece to do another deal. Either before the deadline or in the off-season, as Rod Thorn continues to retool for the future.

Will the Nets make the playoffs? Who the hell knows, since this group will need some time re-adjusting to life after Kidd. That's huge - when motivated, you know damned well what Kidd was capable of. Who knows if Carter can now become the focal point for the offense, and keep things moving like they did with Kidd. Harris likes to run, but Carter still doesn't, so...

One last thought - will the NBA "hold up" the trade until after the All Star game, so Kidd can make his final appearance for the Nets playing for the Eastern Conference? You could see that happening as well.

Oh, last night's game, perhaps Kidd's final one in a Nets uniform. Rather uninspiring from what I read, but a win nonetheless. Tonight, a tough back-to-back in Toronto, and next to impossible if Kidd is held out for any reason.

I'll check back in later tonight with the latest and greatest.

Joe

Today at the Izod

OK, so which Nets team shows up tonight to play the T-Wolves?

First person to get the answer right wins the prize - ignoring the game itself.

Sure, Al Jefferson kills the Nets, the Wolves won in Minny, and this Nets team simply can't figure out what it aspires to be, but c'mon. If they can beat the Mavs, then surely...

That kind of dangerous thinking has the Nets sub .500 both at home and on the road.

So go figure in any case.

Oh, of course we know that as Kidd and Carter go, so go the Nets. Carter's knees are shot, maybe, and his ankle's still not right, but he's looked more like himself over the past few games. He should be able to distroy the Wolves off the dribble, or pass out of double teams and shred this team. Let's hope so, anyway.

And Kidd? Well, even when he's only half motivated, he's better than 75% of the NBA. If he's truly motivated to make a difference, this one should be over by halftime. But, you can also imagine Kidd phoning this one in, making another statement in a zero game that he's the man (and he wants out).

Almost no change Kidd's moving on by the trading deadline, according to all the headlines. What does that mean for the Nets?

And this Carter to Indiana for Jermaine O'Neal? Please, what good does that really do - JO is a shell of his former self, and he's hurt. Plus he's got a ton of $$ left on his deal.

Better efforts all the way around for the Nets, from one to twelve on the roster, and everything is good. But...

And there's always a but with this team, isn't there?

Show some pride, Nets - beat the Wolves at home, make a run at the Raptors on Wednesday in Toronto, and bring a 24 - 29 record to the All Star break. Make us all feel better.

Joe

Of Mice And Shaq

So., have the lambs turned even softer now? Seemed to be the case in the Nets loss to the Magic yesterday. A whole lot of lying down on Broadway in the second half, if you ask me.

There was a time when Jason Kidd could have willed a comeback, but methinks that a) he wants out so bad he's no longer into it and b) he no longer has the complete respect of the team (no matter what is said in the press), so they no longer want to be led like that.

Say what you will, it's a fine mess we have out in East Rutherford right now.

And for anyone who thought Nenad Krstic was the miracle cure, well, maybe next year. Certainly not this one.

The Nets defense stinks. And now without Jason Collins, Josh Boone and Sean Williams got pushed around without mercy by Dwight Howard. They'll learn, get stronger, and do better in the future, but for this year, it's on the job training and that's about it. No way the Nets can win (or make the playoffs) with the kind of defensive performances we've seen since the long losing stretch began (it's now what? 12 of 14? Yeesh).

Nice to see Vince Carter having more hops, and being more aggressive. But, if no one else can follow him, and the other two Big Three can't match his level of effort (and it's always a battle to get two of these three on any given night to match each other's intensity), then the Nets are stuck with overpaid talent who can't deliver. It's going on two years too long for this crew. Unfortunately, it's not likely there will be a change until after the season.

And I hope RJ's eye improves quickly. It's a tough thing to look at (imagine how he feels).

Can the Nets win in Charlotte? Not if the Bobcats zone up on defense, and bang the Nets around inside on offense they can't. But, you never know at this point.

On a semi-related note, we'd be remiss if we didn't comment on the big Shaq to the Suns trade (for Shawn "Matrix" Marion and Marcus Banks). What exactly were the Suns thinking? I get it, sort of, that this run and gun game doensn't win playoff series, so what if we get a guy who we can dump it down low to etc etc. But will it work? Shaq's got more miles on him than John McCain, for crying out loud. The first time he tries to keep up with Steve Nash and company, he'll likely blow a gasket somewhere in his body.

Should be a helluva thing to watch, though - these last 30 or so games (assuming he makes it back to the lineup soon). Glad I have League Pass.

As for the Heat, well, bravo to them for moving Shaq and getting exactly what they wanted in return. A younger, better player who happens to have an expiring contract. They can either keep him around and re-sign him, or else get salary cap space and rebuild on the fly. What could be better?

And on the rumors that the Nets could have had Pau Gasol (it would have cost them Nenad Krstic, among others, apparently) - well, if going over the luxury tax threshold killed this deal, shame on Ratner for not allowing it to happen. Of course, it may be a whole lot of nothing, anyway, since Gasol is in Lakerland, but imagine if Gasol had gone to the Nets to combine with Kidd, RJ and Carter...wow.

Imagine the same kind of thing with Shaq, too. Although, he would have cost the Nets a Jefferson or Carter or Kidd. But he'd pack the house if he could stay on the floor...

Oh well. That NBA Finals in 2002 when Shaq pushed the Nets around still lives vividly in my mind. A Finals that included Jason Collins (a rookie at the time) as the best defense against Shaq. Imagine if we could have completed that circle (and no, I don't really want a broken-down Shaq on the Nets, but imagine him healthy).

There would be no mice in East Rutherford then...

-Joe

My Take On Kidd...And The Team

Hey, it worked out so well for me (and we really don't do the Backlash thing anymore) that I'm going to turn over the space to another emailer - this time, Ken Gerew, our first place finisher in last season's Pickin' Magicians Vol VI. Here is Ken's take on all things Nets right now
-Joe

I always read your posts almost daily … but just have not had a chance to leave a comment …

I for one do not fault Kidd for wanting to leave …

It’s a business … and if it suited the club .. anyone is tradable … and you would think there were promises made as to players to get to build a good club … and right now there are very average to bad.

He has been there 7 years .. time enough to put a unit together … but its not all managements fault …

Take a look at what we have and what was reasonable to expect …

Allen, Malik - Hardly plays and why bother when he does. Old and slow … deadly combo
Armstrong, Darrell – Has to be the best 39 year old in the league, and has played great lately – but is this really a backup to Kidd?
Boone, Josh – they have gotten about 150% more than expected – I for one though he would be average, but seems to be a guy who is always in the right place. Been a GREAT surprise and gotten Collins to the bench.
Carter, Vince – What you see is what you get – a guy who could score 25 every night and never take a jumper – yet wants to concede to just taking long shoots. When he is on he can be something – but is he someone they should have invested so heavy in?? This is a management issue and a coaching issue on how best to use. I liked him coming off the bench in the second quarter, wish they had stayed with it
Collins, Jason - Hard to say if him not playing has been the cause of the lack of D or not … but it did start when he started sitting more.
Jefferson, Richard – I have noticed this year he has no “move” to the basket – watch Carter handle the ball and go by his man – RJ never does and either loses the ball or passes off … what happened? And what happened at the line .. I bet he is shooting low 70%’s the last 2 months … sure feels like it
Kidd, Jason – They are on his shooting percent and turnovers and I believe both are due to the teams overall play … he gets caught about 4-5 times ever game taking a last second shoot that often misses … and his turnovers are from forcing the action. He also gets charged (I believe) if a player miss handles a pass … usually not him. I for one think he is the greatest “true point guard” ever and at his age is amazing. They may “want” to trade him … but the replacements will never equal him.
Krstic, Nenad - I think him being gone was both good and bad. Bad in him trying to play hurt them and also delayed his return. Whomever let that happen should be fired. It was good as it gave Sean and Josh more playing time. I think his return could be a major factor but it depends on how sharp he is when he returns.
Magloire, Jamaal – Waste of space, plan and simple.
Nachbar, Bostjan – I watch him pass up shoot after shoot … either shoot it or sit down. His role is to take a jumper or drive the basket … little D. I has such hi hopes but his play has killed them as he should be the #1 scorer off the bench.
Williams, Marcus – another wasted first half and appeared either out of shape or out of favor and still hardly playing. I think, win or lose, he has to get 20plus minutes a night some how.
Williams, Sean – The Eraser ! Energy is amazing. He also needs to play till he fouls out … its foolish to not have in as much as possible to learn, as he has a LOT to learn … out of position a lot .. but what an upside !
Wright, Antoine – another missing person. The first 16 weeks is double figures 9 times, and then 3 times the rest of the way. I know he was hurt for a bit but even the last 11 weeks barely 30 points. Hopefully he will get back into it as he was showing a lot of improvement.

I think if Kidd is on the block … they need to consider that for playing time and get Marcus more minutes.

I would like to see Frank start and play the groups as follows

Starters
Sean Williams C
Jefferson F
Boone F
Kidd G
Marcus Williams G

Would bring in Armstrong to spell Kidd
Would bring Carter in late first quarter for MW and bring in Bookie in place of him at the front
Sean / Boone would be sharing some minutes with Krstic and Wright as play allowed.

Something has to change as its not working now !

-Ken Gerew