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Smart move. Don't give a what the haters say. The guy is a leader.
Mavericks brass eager to re-sign Jason Kidd
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 cir stances 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.
Smart move. Don't give a what the haters say. The guy is a leader.
Have it end where it all started.
Yup, he might not be what he used to, but the guy can still bust your ass.
If they let Kidd go, who could they sign instead? Sounds like they're low on options to me.
If they let him go, they have to replace him through a trade or with the MLE. Difficult to see them getting an upgrade either way.
Dallas operates in a different world than almost every other franchise because of Cuban's checkbook. Keeping him only costs some of Cuban's money and a roster spot. It doesn't limit them from making any other potential moves this summer.
The only way he leaves is by accepting less money to chase a better chance at a ring.
I love my Kidd, and I hope he comes back.
The guy has mother ing heart, leadership (I find this an overrated trait but Kidd still has the aura of a leader to me), and toughnes. He was the Mavs' best defender this year and made many clutch defensive plays and shots in many games. Yeahhh the PG's with a quick first step gave him problems this year but his defense against wing players and in the passing lanes cannot be disregarded. He had the highest +/- of ALL mavs players (including Dirk). His 3-PT shooting is important as well, considering Dirk/Terry's have dipped and Wright ing sucks.
Furthermore, regarding the quick PG's, it's not as simple as Kidd is slow so fast players burn him. Defense is still a team concept and the Mavs defensive backline of Dirk/Dampier is horrible due to their limited mobility. Obviously Dirk has to stay for he is the greatest PF in the game, but the Mavs need a better interior defender than Damp. I consider him an above average defender, but above average isn't e innough.
I love my boy Kidd. This year started out terribly for our boys but he never mother ing quit. He played hard until the very end of the season and gave us 81 games in the regular season. He is no longer a star but he is still a very good PG in this league.
Doesn't upset me at all
Bring Back J-Kidd...its either him or some ass PG that will lead us straight to the lottery w/o a pick. Don't this up Donnie
no it doesn't bother me. It's Cuban's money, not mine.So it doesn't upset you in the LEAST that Kid got payed the past two season what Mark Cuban thought that Nash WASN'T worth and DIDN'T want to pay him?
Dude you guys keep Nash you guys win the 2006 finals...
Yeah, and who is going to guard Tim Duncan? The Mavs used his salary slot to trade for Dampier. Who do you think does a better job of bodying Duncan in the post, Damp or Nash?
Letting Steve Nash walk was one of the best decisions Mark Cuban ever made. No team with Dirk and Nash together on the floor was going to beat San Antonio and make the Finals. Keep Steve Nash and the Mavs never get past the Spurs. Tony Parker abuses Nash, something he can't do to Devin Harris.
He left and they got better as a team. Simple as that. Nash in his prime was no better than Mark Price. He played in a system that better utilized his talent and skillset and produced gaudy stats, but those Suns teams were never going to beat San Antonio.
What the did he and the Suns ever win anyways? Who cares about regular season MVP awards? Was Steve Nash even close to being the best player in the game those years?
Last edited by Findog; 05-15-2009 at 11:23 PM.
he is better than barrea sign him
leadership doesn't stop parker, paul, williams, billups, mo williams, and rondo. mavs will probably have to go through at least three of those point guards to win a championship. and leadership should be designated to dirk, the former mvp.
Cmon dude, Mark Price? Nash is one of the most talented players ever with the basketball.
Yes. Those Sun teams ing sucked when he wasn't in the ball game. With him, they were contenders.
I'm not by any means this huge Steve Nash fan or anything, but I appreciate his game. Offensively he was one of the GOATS, it's too bad his defense was so damn atrocious. Basketball is played on both sides and contrary to what Casual Fan believes, defense is JUST as important as offense.
Considering the lack of good FA PG's available, re-signing Kidd makes sense.
I'm not so sure he's the best defender on the team. His defense looks like it's declining after Parker and Billups pwned him in the postseason.
He still rebounds well and his three-point shooting appears to have really improved as he ages.
I guess J Kidd would be a decent back-up PG for the spurs.
You contradicted your original point.
Yes. Those Sun teams ing sucked when he wasn't in the ball game. With him, they were contenders.
I'm not by any means this huge Steve Nash fan or anything, but I appreciate his game. Offensively he was one of the GOATS, it's too bad his defense was so damn atrocious. Basketball is played on both sides and contrary to what Casual Fan believes, defense is JUST as important as offense.
If you think he's one of the best players in the game yet you take defense into account, there's no way you can say that.
Should've kept Harris.
Mark Price was very good. Nash in his prime was at about his level. At the height of those SSOL teams in Phoenix, I'd say Nash was a top 15 player, mayyyybe on the cusp of top 10.
tp has owned kidd for 3 years atleast
now chauncy owning him
that is a concern
no, that would have been a bad idea. Nets would of had Kidd more trouble would have happened and Nets might have won another game or two and might not have Brook Lopez, so that would have sucked, no thanks to this. Not that I haven't thought about Nets having Kidd, I'd love to see how Brook Lopez could do with him, I mean he made sean williams look better, Brook looked great at times and he never had Kidd so that could have been something to watch
in 2006 Anthony Johnson owned Kidd
I'd say I loved Kidd most in 2002 and 2003 when the Nets were actually the best and wouldn't have called him overrated, after they let Kenyon Martin go I started seeing them all get owned more.
If he is to go into the Hall of fame I say he needs to for those two seasons mostly(maybe seasons before that don't really know how he played then I was only following Nets back then). I mean who else could take a 26 win team to 2 finals(even if we lost)
Kidd to Portland. Now that's a dangerous squad.
Umm,,, no. Put Jason Kidd on that team and Portland wins with homecourt advantage.
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