Tim Legler adds his two cents

The ESPN analyst had this to say about Jason Kidd and the Mavs:

Right before the trade deadline, the Mavs brought in Jason Kidd to keep up with the top teams in the West. They do have a winning record (9-7) since that trade. However, a closer look at the numbers shows every win they have has come against sub-.500 teams and every loss has come to teams with records above .500. At the time of the trade, I was in favor of the move. I still believe the Mavs are a better team with Kidd than with Devin Harris. Unfortunately one thing has become very clear; Kidd is no longer a threat to score. He has lost that quick burst to blow past defenders. He looks like he has lost the confidence to make an open jumper.

There in lies Dallas' problem. Other teams have recognized this and have begun to shade Kidd's defender towards either Dirk Nowitzki or Josh Howard. This creates some cramping and doesn't allow the offense to flow as freely as it did under Harris. The key for the Mavs to break out of this is simple. Kidd is not going to become a jump-shooter overnight. That means Howard and especially Jason Terry need to start stepping up their play.

Comments

[bobbo]

I recently came across a quote from Donn Nelson from last September when the Mavs signed Devin Harris.

Harris, he said, along with Josh Howard, DeSagana Diop and Maurice Ager, formed the "cornernstone of the franchise future". Funny how that worked out.

By the end of this season, all but four Mavs will be 30 or older. The only players who won't be are Howard, Brandon Bass and two very marginal players: Antoine Wright, Jose Juan Barea, both of whom are free agents.

If I am the Nets, I am looking at those draft picks in 2008 and 2010 (or 2009 and 2011) with baited breath. This year's pick may be lottery protected, but the other(s) aren't. By the time they roll around, they could be lottery picks.

But hey, not to worry, I am sure that Dampier will be worth $13.7 million at age 36, Kidd will be worth $21.3 million at the same age, Terry will be worth $11.4 million at age 34, and Nowitzki $21.5 million at age 33.

Kidd's agent reportedly told the Nets that Cuban had committed to an eight figure PER YEAR extension if they could make the deal work.

Makes a lot of sense to me, that trade.