DALLAS -- Mark Cuban doesn't want to come off sounding like sour grapes just because Jason Kidd changed his mind and decided to sign a free agent contract with the New York Knicks this past summer instead of signing one with the Dallas Mavericks.
The money was the same for Kidd -- three years and $9 milllion. To top it off, Kidd, who played for the Mavs the past four seasons and helped them win the 2011 NBA title, had verbally agreed to return and finish out his career with Dallas.
But when Kidd, 39, reversed fields, Cuban was not a very happy man. However, Cuban has decided to let by-gones be by-gones, and is pulling for the Mavs fans to stand by Kidd when Dallas hosts the Knicks at 7:30 Wednesday night at American Airlines Center.
"I hope they cheer for him,'' Cuban said. "He helped us win a championship.
"That’s it. Period. End of story.''
Cuban said he doesn't plan on extending an olive branch and try to talk to Kidd while he's in town. And he said he didn't even talk with Kidd when the Mavs were in New York and lost to the Knicks, 104--94, back on Nov. 9.
"I haven’t talked to him,'' Cuban said. "I didn’t say anything to him (in New York).
"I didn’t say a word. What’s done is done.''
Cuban said he didn't waste his energy in New York heckling Kidd, which is something he playfully does to players who used to play for him. As far as Mavs' fans go?
"Fans pay their money, they can do whatever they want,'' Cuban said. "I’ll give him my own personal version of (heckling).''
When he was snubbed by Kidd this past summer, Cuban talked about not retiring Kidd's jersey into the AAC rafters. But although approximately four months has passed since Kidd left town, Cuban isn't prepared to discuss whether he has changed his mind and will indeed retire Kidd's jersey into the AAC rafters.
"I’m not even going to go there any more,'' Cuban said. "That just turns into headlines.
"There will be a time. I have to save those. I have to have those back pocket headlines that I need, so if somebody does something stupid and. . .then we’ll talk about J-Kidd and jerseys.''
-- Dwain Price
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