crc21209
02-16-2008, 01:27 AM
NEW ORLEANS -- Nets president Rod Thorn said Friday he has no side deal with Mavericks swingman Jerry Stackhouse, an illegal arrangement that could put a potential Jason Kidd-to-Dallas trade in jeopardy.
The Nets thought they had worked out a deal with the Mavericks on Wednesday that would have sent Kidd to Dallas, but the trade is on hold because Devean George exercised his right to block it.
However, it may have been in trouble before that. Earlier that day, Stackhouse told The Associated Press that he may be able to rejoin the Mavs, an indication the Nets planned to buy out his contract.
"I get 30 days to rest, then I'll be right back," Stackhouse said. "I ain't going nowhere."
Not so, Thorn said Friday.
"I'm perfectly willing to take Stackhouse on my team. You can't make deals like that," he said. "Those are illegal. You can't do that. I'm not going to do it."
Thorn said there was nothing new with the deal after talking to George on Friday morning. If the trade does go through, he said then he would talk to Stackhouse about his future plans.
"He knows whether he'd want to play for us or he wouldn't," Thorn said. "Until you get a player, you aren't allowed to make any deals."
Thorn was surprised the deal was blocked, saying George had asked to be traded earlier in the season. George used his "early Bird rights" in rejecting the trade, a right given only to players on a second one-year deal that gives them a chance to sign their next contract for more than the salary cap allows. Those rights don't carry over if traded.
"Allegedly he had asked to be traded a couple of weeks before. Those rights were not an issue when he asked to be traded," Thorn said. "Dallas felt that it was not an issue. Why it became an issue I'm not sure. Obviously Bird rights were not an issue at that time."
Neither Thorn nor Kidd could guess the chances the deal, which also was to send point guard Devin Harris, and reserves DeSagana Diop and Maurice Ager to the Nets, would go through. Thorn conceded there was a chance Kidd could still be with the Nets after next Thursday's trade deadline.
"Right now it's inconclusive," Thorn said. "All I know is, a deal was made ... we agreed to a deal, we were getting the NBA office [to approve it]. Right now, it's definitely on hold."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
The Nets thought they had worked out a deal with the Mavericks on Wednesday that would have sent Kidd to Dallas, but the trade is on hold because Devean George exercised his right to block it.
However, it may have been in trouble before that. Earlier that day, Stackhouse told The Associated Press that he may be able to rejoin the Mavs, an indication the Nets planned to buy out his contract.
"I get 30 days to rest, then I'll be right back," Stackhouse said. "I ain't going nowhere."
Not so, Thorn said Friday.
"I'm perfectly willing to take Stackhouse on my team. You can't make deals like that," he said. "Those are illegal. You can't do that. I'm not going to do it."
Thorn said there was nothing new with the deal after talking to George on Friday morning. If the trade does go through, he said then he would talk to Stackhouse about his future plans.
"He knows whether he'd want to play for us or he wouldn't," Thorn said. "Until you get a player, you aren't allowed to make any deals."
Thorn was surprised the deal was blocked, saying George had asked to be traded earlier in the season. George used his "early Bird rights" in rejecting the trade, a right given only to players on a second one-year deal that gives them a chance to sign their next contract for more than the salary cap allows. Those rights don't carry over if traded.
"Allegedly he had asked to be traded a couple of weeks before. Those rights were not an issue when he asked to be traded," Thorn said. "Dallas felt that it was not an issue. Why it became an issue I'm not sure. Obviously Bird rights were not an issue at that time."
Neither Thorn nor Kidd could guess the chances the deal, which also was to send point guard Devin Harris, and reserves DeSagana Diop and Maurice Ager to the Nets, would go through. Thorn conceded there was a chance Kidd could still be with the Nets after next Thursday's trade deadline.
"Right now it's inconclusive," Thorn said. "All I know is, a deal was made ... we agreed to a deal, we were getting the NBA office [to approve it]. Right now, it's definitely on hold."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press