duncan228
05-15-2009, 09:33 PM
Mavericks brass eager to re-sign Jason Kidd (http://www.mercedsunstar.com/359/story/848485.html)
By Jim Reeves - McClatchy Newspapers
When Jason Kidd helped lead the Dallas Mavericks past the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs, I giggled.
When the same Kidd was embarrassed by the Denver Nuggets' Chauncey Billups in the second round, I retched.
I suspect most of you shared those conflicting emotions.
In those two scenarios lie the ever-present dilemmas the Mavericks face as they decide whether to re-sign their 36-year-old point guard to a new contract.
Kidd is good enough to take the Mavs to a certain point, but in the NBA's Western Conference with its profusion of ultra-talented point guards, he's eventually going to run into someone - Chris Paul, Billups, somebody - who eats his lunch and makes him look like an over-the-hill senior citizen who has no business being on the same court.
Then again, all this discourse about whether the Mavs should bring Kidd back is mostly just us pundits smacking our gums.
It's pretty obvious that decision already has been made. The owner apparently wants him back. The general manager wants him back. The coach is begging both of them to bring him back.
It's really just a matter of the two sides getting together on a new contract at this point.
"If you want to be successful in the postseason, you have to have a great quarterback," GM Donnie Nelson said Friday. "Jason provides that.
"Jason is really the straw that stirs the drink as far as getting guys in the right position, and that's just the on-the-court stuff. The off-the-court stuff is even more important. Guys in the locker room know they're going to get great leadership (from Kidd) every night."
It's just that the drink Kidd stirs too often ends up with a bitter aftertaste.
Even his sterling play against the Spurs was somewhat mitigated by the fact that he rarely was asked to cover lightning-quick counterpart Tony Parker, leaving that chore to younger, faster J.J. Barea for the most part.
But the Mavs find themselves in a tough spot where Kidd is concerned. They're still trying to maximize the next three or four years of Dirk Nowitzki's career. There's not another championship-caliber point guard they're going to be able to bring in here to help do that.
Assuming they can re-sign him - and I doubt that'll be too difficult - they're stuck with Kidd whether they like it or not. Clearly Nelson and the Mavs understand that they must make the best of the situation. There's no upside to ticking off his weaknesses, as obvious as they are.
How many of you broke the coffee table - as I almost did - every time Kidd penetrated into the paint against Denver and then failed (a) to take the obvious shot or (b) to at least go hard enough to draw a foul and get to the line?
OK, you can put both your hands down now.
Kidd simply refuses to finish a drive with a shot, which might at least cause teams to respect him a little more when he does venture into the paint, instead of trying to cut off his passing lanes.
Unfortunately, that's not likely to change at this stage of his career. He is what he is. He's not going to develop a nice little teardrop shot like Parker, or even a semi-efficient floater. That's just wishful thinking.
"Unselfish to a fault is part of his makeup," Nelson said in Kidd's defense. "That's what's made him a great point guard, and all great point guards have that trait. They're the software of the team.
"Their first priority is to get everybody else successful and going, and it's really pass-first. You name it: (John) Stockton, Magic (Johnson); their concern was to get Karl Malone off, or to get (James) Worthy or (Kareem Abdul-) Jabbar going. That's an intrinsic quality that most coaches and players would die to have as part of their team."
That said, Nelson understands our frustration with Kidd at times.
"What you see, when he gets deep into the paint, 'Man, why doesn't he shoot that shot?' " Nelson said. "At times that could be a fair assessment, and I think he understands he's got to score a certain amount, just to keep people honest.
"But what's made him one of the greatest ever to play the position is the quality I've touched on. The other thing is, you can't be something that you're not."
There's no question that Kidd made those around him better. Dirk sings his praises regularly. Jason Terry had his best season ever, and Kidd probably deserves a nod for that. Erick Dampier had arguably his best season as a Mav (admittedly that's not saying a lot).
That doesn't mean the Mavs don't understand that they must begin thinking about the future at point guard or that they won't look for a young player to develop in the draft or even an opportunity to make a trade, if it's out there.
"I don't want to think about (Kidd leaving)," Nelson said. "Our priority is to have him back in a Mavericks uniform. Regardless, if he is or isn't, getting athletic, getting length and dominance in the backcourt and frontcourt to help fortify us in both places is a priority.
"To have a different look to supplement what J.J. and J-Kidd bring to the table is something to explore."
See the point? Those who think the Mavs have a decision to make about Kidd, forget it. It's basically been made already, by circumstances if nothing else.
Sure, Kidd will almost certainly check to see if Cleveland is interested, because that obviously would provide a clear path to the finals in the much easier East, but barring that, he'll be in a Mavs' uniform for somewhere between another year and three years, and I'd bet it's more than one.
"He wants to be here and we want him here," Nelson said. "Generally speaking, those types of deals get worked out."
Which brings us back to the beginning.
Feel free to giggle . . . or retch. Either would be an appropriate reaction.
By Jim Reeves - McClatchy Newspapers
When Jason Kidd helped lead the Dallas Mavericks past the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs, I giggled.
When the same Kidd was embarrassed by the Denver Nuggets' Chauncey Billups in the second round, I retched.
I suspect most of you shared those conflicting emotions.
In those two scenarios lie the ever-present dilemmas the Mavericks face as they decide whether to re-sign their 36-year-old point guard to a new contract.
Kidd is good enough to take the Mavs to a certain point, but in the NBA's Western Conference with its profusion of ultra-talented point guards, he's eventually going to run into someone - Chris Paul, Billups, somebody - who eats his lunch and makes him look like an over-the-hill senior citizen who has no business being on the same court.
Then again, all this discourse about whether the Mavs should bring Kidd back is mostly just us pundits smacking our gums.
It's pretty obvious that decision already has been made. The owner apparently wants him back. The general manager wants him back. The coach is begging both of them to bring him back.
It's really just a matter of the two sides getting together on a new contract at this point.
"If you want to be successful in the postseason, you have to have a great quarterback," GM Donnie Nelson said Friday. "Jason provides that.
"Jason is really the straw that stirs the drink as far as getting guys in the right position, and that's just the on-the-court stuff. The off-the-court stuff is even more important. Guys in the locker room know they're going to get great leadership (from Kidd) every night."
It's just that the drink Kidd stirs too often ends up with a bitter aftertaste.
Even his sterling play against the Spurs was somewhat mitigated by the fact that he rarely was asked to cover lightning-quick counterpart Tony Parker, leaving that chore to younger, faster J.J. Barea for the most part.
But the Mavs find themselves in a tough spot where Kidd is concerned. They're still trying to maximize the next three or four years of Dirk Nowitzki's career. There's not another championship-caliber point guard they're going to be able to bring in here to help do that.
Assuming they can re-sign him - and I doubt that'll be too difficult - they're stuck with Kidd whether they like it or not. Clearly Nelson and the Mavs understand that they must make the best of the situation. There's no upside to ticking off his weaknesses, as obvious as they are.
How many of you broke the coffee table - as I almost did - every time Kidd penetrated into the paint against Denver and then failed (a) to take the obvious shot or (b) to at least go hard enough to draw a foul and get to the line?
OK, you can put both your hands down now.
Kidd simply refuses to finish a drive with a shot, which might at least cause teams to respect him a little more when he does venture into the paint, instead of trying to cut off his passing lanes.
Unfortunately, that's not likely to change at this stage of his career. He is what he is. He's not going to develop a nice little teardrop shot like Parker, or even a semi-efficient floater. That's just wishful thinking.
"Unselfish to a fault is part of his makeup," Nelson said in Kidd's defense. "That's what's made him a great point guard, and all great point guards have that trait. They're the software of the team.
"Their first priority is to get everybody else successful and going, and it's really pass-first. You name it: (John) Stockton, Magic (Johnson); their concern was to get Karl Malone off, or to get (James) Worthy or (Kareem Abdul-) Jabbar going. That's an intrinsic quality that most coaches and players would die to have as part of their team."
That said, Nelson understands our frustration with Kidd at times.
"What you see, when he gets deep into the paint, 'Man, why doesn't he shoot that shot?' " Nelson said. "At times that could be a fair assessment, and I think he understands he's got to score a certain amount, just to keep people honest.
"But what's made him one of the greatest ever to play the position is the quality I've touched on. The other thing is, you can't be something that you're not."
There's no question that Kidd made those around him better. Dirk sings his praises regularly. Jason Terry had his best season ever, and Kidd probably deserves a nod for that. Erick Dampier had arguably his best season as a Mav (admittedly that's not saying a lot).
That doesn't mean the Mavs don't understand that they must begin thinking about the future at point guard or that they won't look for a young player to develop in the draft or even an opportunity to make a trade, if it's out there.
"I don't want to think about (Kidd leaving)," Nelson said. "Our priority is to have him back in a Mavericks uniform. Regardless, if he is or isn't, getting athletic, getting length and dominance in the backcourt and frontcourt to help fortify us in both places is a priority.
"To have a different look to supplement what J.J. and J-Kidd bring to the table is something to explore."
See the point? Those who think the Mavs have a decision to make about Kidd, forget it. It's basically been made already, by circumstances if nothing else.
Sure, Kidd will almost certainly check to see if Cleveland is interested, because that obviously would provide a clear path to the finals in the much easier East, but barring that, he'll be in a Mavs' uniform for somewhere between another year and three years, and I'd bet it's more than one.
"He wants to be here and we want him here," Nelson said. "Generally speaking, those types of deals get worked out."
Which brings us back to the beginning.
Feel free to giggle . . . or retch. Either would be an appropriate reaction.