Google
 

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Its Official: Jason Kidd Wants Out Of The New Jersey Franchise

How is a team composed of Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, and a man who seems to get triple doubles every other game so terrible? Jason Kidd seems to know the answer.

Jason Kidd has come to grips with two realities. One, the New Jersey Nets aren't very good. Two, that their only chance of improving is to deal him. "I'm not mad at anybody," he said Monday afternoon by phone. "Sometimes, when you ride a wave, you get to the end and that's all there is. That's where we are."

Kidd confirmed that his agent, Jeff Schwartz, has talked to Nets' management about moving him by the Feb. 21 trade deadline, but he categorized the conversation as a continuation of something that started last All-Star break, when the Nets nearly dealt him to the Lakers for a package of players that included Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown. The sticking point was that Nets president Rod Thorn wanted Andrew Bynum and the Lakers refused.

While initial reports had Kidd, 34, insisting on being sent to a contender, he said Monday that he realizes there are no guarantees in any scenario. At this point, he simply wants to play for a team that can compete every night and utilize his talents.

Kidd

"It used to be if I got a triple-double, that was an automatic win," he said. "That's just not the case now. We tried to make this work. We've found out it doesn't. It's time for us all to move on."

Schwartz, in exploring current options for his client with other NBA teams, has been told that with Vince Carter signing a new four-year $61.8 million contract and Richard Jefferson having three years and $42 million left on his six-year deal, Kidd is the only moveable major asset New Jersey has.

There are a variety of teams who would be interested in acquiring Kidd -- Dallas and Denver already have reached out in the last week, a source said -- but it's a matter of what the Nets would insist upon in return. If draft picks are involved, weighing true value is infinitely easier after the May draft lottery, when the selection order is set and teams have a better idea of which players plan to declare their draft eligibility.

Would Jason Kidd fit in well with the Lakers. I would say, yes, because Jason Kidd is traditionally a pass first kind of player and Kobe Bryant is traditionally a shoot first kind of player. However, the Lakers as they are now are playing well together, Kobe is finally happy, and the asking price of players the Nets are requesting for Jason Kidd is too much.

Any team would gobble up Jason Kidd....he's an amazing player. I don't know why he suddenly is unhappy on the Nets. He's the leader of the team and its up to the leader to take his team as far as the team can go. Look at Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwayne Wade....I would argue that Jason Kidd has better talent surrounding him than these other players have and you don't see them complaining about wanting to be traded because their teams aren't or weren't producing. Well, Lebron James and Dwayne Wade never complained and Kobe Bryant stopped complaining.

No comments: