Quote:

 

Kidd officially traded to Mavericks

Feb 19, 5:58 pm EST

DALLAS (TICKER) —Jason Kidd officially is back with the Dallas Mavericks, who hope that the star point guard’s second stint in the Lone Star State will result in an NBA title.

The Mavericks finalized terms of their highly anticipated deal to bring in Kidd, acquiring the superstar point guard in an eight-player trade Tuesday with the New Jersey Nets.

Dallas also received promising swingman Antoine Wright and veteran forward Malik Allen in exchange for guards Devin Harris and Maurice Ager, center DeSagana Diop, forwards Keith Van Horn and Trenton Hassell, first-round draft picks in 2008 and 2010 and cash considerations.

The trade, which overcame several potential obstacles, brings Kidd back to the Mavericks, who selected the nine-time All-Star with the second overall pick in the 1994 draft.

“I’m just very happy that this deal is done,” Kidd said Tuesday at a press conference with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and head coach Avery Johnson. “I’m happy to be back here in Dallas.

“I’m happy that (Cuban) and (Johnson) believe in my talent and my teammates’ talents - that we can help the Mavs in pursuing that ultimate goal, and that’s to win a championship.”

Financial terms of the trade were not included, but ESPN.com reported that New Jersey was given a $3 million consideration for parting with Kidd, who piloted the Nets during their transition from a perennial bottom-feeder into a two-time Eastern Conference champion.

“Jason Kidd has been the best player to wear a Nets uniform during my current tenure with the Nets,” said president Rod Thorn, who has been with the team since June 2000. “He was the toughest competitor with the fiercest will to win, and he was the main component in the most successful period in the Nets’ NBA history.

“Jason is a first-ballot Hall of Famer and the man most responsible for transforming the Nets into a high-quality NBA team. We wish him nothing but success in his future endeavors.”

The blockbuster deal originally was reported last week before hitting a snag when Mavericks swingman Devean George exercised his “early Bird rights” - a little known provision in some one-year contracts - that allowed him to refuse the trade.

But the revamped deal was completed courtesy of the inclusion of Van Horn, who hasn’t played since the 2005-06 season but never was taken off Dallas’ payroll.

Kidd, 34, will make $40 million over the final two years of his current contract - a price tag that Cuban was more than willing to pay for a player who attracted the passionate owner to purchase his first season ticket over a decade ago.

“He was exciting to watch then and he’s exciting to watch now,” Cuban said. “I think we’ve really taken a step forward to making (the Mavs) a real contender for a championship.”

“We feel this inches us a little closer (to a championship),” Johnson added. “Obviously we understand the competition is fierce. We’re not afraid of competition - that’s why we’re here.”

In acquiring Kidd, the Mavericks (35-18) clearly have demonstrated their desperation to keep up in the increasingly competitive Western Conference.

Dallas, which currently is sixth in the conference standings, lost to the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals and claimed the top seed in the West last season before being ousted by the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

The Mavericks hope they have found the final piece to their championship puzzle in Kidd, who enjoyed mixed success with Dallas before being traded to the Phoenix Suns just 2 1/2 years into his pro career.

“I’ve said since the day I bought the team that we’re always going to try and be opportunistic,” Cuban said. “The timing was right. We just thought (Kidd) would be a great fit in the organization.”

“I’m just really excited to be back for a second opportunity,” Kidd added. “I’m a little bit older, I’ve played a lot of basketball. So hopefully I can share that with my teammates.”

Tuesday’s trade is the third blockbuster deal involving Western title contenders this month.

The Suns acquired future Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal from the Miami Heat on February 6 while the Los Angeles Lakers bolstered their frontcourt by trading with Memphis for Pau Gasol on February 1.

Despite his discontent with the mediocre play of the Nets, Kidd has been brilliant on the court once again, averaging 11.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 10.4 assists this season. His 99 career triple-doubles rank third on the all-time list behind Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson.

Kidd shared 1994-95 Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill before being the centerpiece of a December 1996 trade to the Suns for Sam Cassell, Michael Finley and A.C. Green. He was traded again in July 2001 to New Jersey in the deal which sent Stephon Marbury and Johnny Newman to Phoenix.

A 14-year veteran, Kidd has averaged 14.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists in 997 games for the Mavericks, Suns and Nets. Kidd, who led the NBA in assists on five different occasions, ranks fifth all-time in league history in that category.

The Nets, who reached the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2007 but were a disappointing 23-30 through 53 games this season, received a promising guard in Harris and potential salary cap room at the end of this season.

Harris, who is currently sidelined with a left ankle bone bruise, is averaging 14.4 points and 5.3 assists in 39 games for Dallas this season.

The fifth overall pick in the 2004 draft, the 24-year-old Harris has averaged 9.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists in parts of four seasons for the Mavericks.

Diop and Van Horn have expiring contracts, while Ager has only one year remaining on his $1 million deal.