Mr.Bottomtooth
11-21-2007, 11:51 AM
O'Connor: Kidd may soon leave Nets via a trade
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
By IAN O'CONNOR
RECORD COLUMNIST
Nets point guard Jason Kidd could be headed to the door and out of New Jersey, especially as February's NBA trade deadline approaches.
Jason Kidd just opted out. He filed for free agency as clearly as Alex Rodriguez did, only there was no superagent leak to disrupt the NBA Finals, and no guarantee Kidd will crawl back into the warm embrace of his jilted team.
Out West, a day before he moved to temper his remarks, the captain and leader of the Nets said the team has no chance of winning a title.
"Right now there is no light at the end of the tunnel," Kidd said in two published reports.
Pay no attention to the more hopeful quotes behind it. Kidd spoke from the heart before someone could remind him that captains don't bail on sinking ships, or before someone could point out that the franchise supported him through a series of personal crises that would make Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan blush.
His team was about to extend its losing streak to six in a spectacular way, about to get blown out again in Utah. The Nets were about to lose by more than 20 points for the third time in four games, and Kidd decided it was time to send out his distress signal, a clear mayday call from a 34-year-old star who knows he's got far less time than A-Rod to win a championship ring.
"We get to the playoffs and everything disappears," Kidd was quoted as saying.
"The same thing happens year after year."
So enjoy the next two or three months, Nets fans, because they could represent the final days of a most improbable and glorious run. Kidd might've saved the franchise once, but deep down, he knows he can't save this team.
Kidd's not going public with any trade demands, but he'll likely push harder for a deal before the February deadline than he did last season, when Rod Thorn would've shipped him into Kobe Bryant's backcourt if only the Lakers were willing to send back Andrew Bynum.
Kidd counts Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett among his friends. He sees his fellow ring-free stars aligning in Boston, creating a Big Three that puts the Nets' Big Three to shame.
In two games, the Celtics have beaten the Nets by a combined 33 points. Kidd can't even kid himself anymore. Gone are the days when the Nets thought they could navigate a soft Eastern Conference tournament and then hope for a sprained Tim Duncan ankle in the Finals.
On the eve of the season, Kidd did say this was the most talented team he'd ever dressed for. Like Bob Arum, he was lying yesterday and telling the truth today.
The Nets are 4-7, losers of six straight. Vince Carter might rush to the rescue, but he's proven to be an otherworldly force in the regular season and an all-too-human mystery in the playoffs (did someone mention A-Rod again?).
Kidd's tired of losing in the first and second rounds, tired of believing that consecutive defeats in the Finals to Duncan and Shaq will be as good as it ever gets.
Kidd's also tired of leading the league in pain threshold and having no banners to show for it.
"Jason's like a football player," Thorn said from Portland. "He'll play with anything."
Cracked ribs. Deep thigh bruises. Bone-on-bone knees. Anything.
"I wish we had more like him," Thorn said.
Kidd wishes the same. He doesn't have the time to see if Sean Williams can develop into one of the better power forwards in the game. Kidd is playing on two bad legs, and they aren't likely to get better with age.
His Nets can't shoot straight. They don't defend with passion. They don't take care of the ball.
"It should get to Jason," Lawrence Frank said from Portland. "It should get to everyone. Jason is our captain, and he has a right to express his dismay. He has a responsibility that makes him different from anyone else putting on a uniform, because he lifts others up, whether it's playing big minutes back to back or averaging a triple-double.
"At the same time, he also has a responsibility in that, if you're part of the winning equation, you also have to be part of the losing equation."
Kidd was 1-for-9 from the floor against the Jazz to record a rare triple-single. But even when he managed 19 rebounds in a triple-double against the Magic, his Nets still lost by 25.
"It's embarrassing when you get your butt kicked," Frank said, "but we all have to be in this together."
Is Kidd in or is he out? When Carter, Nenad Krstic and Marcus Williams are healthy, the Nets clearly should be a functional playoff team. But Kidd doesn't want to be part of a functional playoff team. He wants to get his ring.
He blew his chance way back when – the Spurs were offering big free agent bucks and a willingness to kick Tony Parker to the curb. Kidd put his money on Jersey and now realizes it wasn't the best basketball bet.
Finally, he declared for the record that there's no light at either end of the Lincoln Tunnel.
"Jason's just an ultracompetitive person," Thorn said, "and with the losing I just think his frustration boiled over. I would've preferred if he kept it behind closed doors."
Thorn hasn't restarted talks with the Lakers, not yet, anyway, but an unhappy Kidd and an unhappy Kobe could inspire a phone call or three. Yes, Thorn would trade Kidd for a Bynum package. No, he wouldn't trade Kidd for a Lamar Odom package.
Either way, Kidd's sudden burst of candor was his first hard dribble toward the door. So enjoy the Hall of Fame playmaker while you can. He still puts on a hell of a show.
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxMDYmZmdi ZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcyMjQ0MDImeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZU VFeXk2
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
By IAN O'CONNOR
RECORD COLUMNIST
Nets point guard Jason Kidd could be headed to the door and out of New Jersey, especially as February's NBA trade deadline approaches.
Jason Kidd just opted out. He filed for free agency as clearly as Alex Rodriguez did, only there was no superagent leak to disrupt the NBA Finals, and no guarantee Kidd will crawl back into the warm embrace of his jilted team.
Out West, a day before he moved to temper his remarks, the captain and leader of the Nets said the team has no chance of winning a title.
"Right now there is no light at the end of the tunnel," Kidd said in two published reports.
Pay no attention to the more hopeful quotes behind it. Kidd spoke from the heart before someone could remind him that captains don't bail on sinking ships, or before someone could point out that the franchise supported him through a series of personal crises that would make Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan blush.
His team was about to extend its losing streak to six in a spectacular way, about to get blown out again in Utah. The Nets were about to lose by more than 20 points for the third time in four games, and Kidd decided it was time to send out his distress signal, a clear mayday call from a 34-year-old star who knows he's got far less time than A-Rod to win a championship ring.
"We get to the playoffs and everything disappears," Kidd was quoted as saying.
"The same thing happens year after year."
So enjoy the next two or three months, Nets fans, because they could represent the final days of a most improbable and glorious run. Kidd might've saved the franchise once, but deep down, he knows he can't save this team.
Kidd's not going public with any trade demands, but he'll likely push harder for a deal before the February deadline than he did last season, when Rod Thorn would've shipped him into Kobe Bryant's backcourt if only the Lakers were willing to send back Andrew Bynum.
Kidd counts Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett among his friends. He sees his fellow ring-free stars aligning in Boston, creating a Big Three that puts the Nets' Big Three to shame.
In two games, the Celtics have beaten the Nets by a combined 33 points. Kidd can't even kid himself anymore. Gone are the days when the Nets thought they could navigate a soft Eastern Conference tournament and then hope for a sprained Tim Duncan ankle in the Finals.
On the eve of the season, Kidd did say this was the most talented team he'd ever dressed for. Like Bob Arum, he was lying yesterday and telling the truth today.
The Nets are 4-7, losers of six straight. Vince Carter might rush to the rescue, but he's proven to be an otherworldly force in the regular season and an all-too-human mystery in the playoffs (did someone mention A-Rod again?).
Kidd's tired of losing in the first and second rounds, tired of believing that consecutive defeats in the Finals to Duncan and Shaq will be as good as it ever gets.
Kidd's also tired of leading the league in pain threshold and having no banners to show for it.
"Jason's like a football player," Thorn said from Portland. "He'll play with anything."
Cracked ribs. Deep thigh bruises. Bone-on-bone knees. Anything.
"I wish we had more like him," Thorn said.
Kidd wishes the same. He doesn't have the time to see if Sean Williams can develop into one of the better power forwards in the game. Kidd is playing on two bad legs, and they aren't likely to get better with age.
His Nets can't shoot straight. They don't defend with passion. They don't take care of the ball.
"It should get to Jason," Lawrence Frank said from Portland. "It should get to everyone. Jason is our captain, and he has a right to express his dismay. He has a responsibility that makes him different from anyone else putting on a uniform, because he lifts others up, whether it's playing big minutes back to back or averaging a triple-double.
"At the same time, he also has a responsibility in that, if you're part of the winning equation, you also have to be part of the losing equation."
Kidd was 1-for-9 from the floor against the Jazz to record a rare triple-single. But even when he managed 19 rebounds in a triple-double against the Magic, his Nets still lost by 25.
"It's embarrassing when you get your butt kicked," Frank said, "but we all have to be in this together."
Is Kidd in or is he out? When Carter, Nenad Krstic and Marcus Williams are healthy, the Nets clearly should be a functional playoff team. But Kidd doesn't want to be part of a functional playoff team. He wants to get his ring.
He blew his chance way back when – the Spurs were offering big free agent bucks and a willingness to kick Tony Parker to the curb. Kidd put his money on Jersey and now realizes it wasn't the best basketball bet.
Finally, he declared for the record that there's no light at either end of the Lincoln Tunnel.
"Jason's just an ultracompetitive person," Thorn said, "and with the losing I just think his frustration boiled over. I would've preferred if he kept it behind closed doors."
Thorn hasn't restarted talks with the Lakers, not yet, anyway, but an unhappy Kidd and an unhappy Kobe could inspire a phone call or three. Yes, Thorn would trade Kidd for a Bynum package. No, he wouldn't trade Kidd for a Lamar Odom package.
Either way, Kidd's sudden burst of candor was his first hard dribble toward the door. So enjoy the Hall of Fame playmaker while you can. He still puts on a hell of a show.
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxMDYmZmdi ZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcyMjQ0MDImeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZU VFeXk2