EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Jason Kidd era is over in New Jersey.
The New Jersey Nets and Dallas on Tuesday completed a trade sending the all-star to the Mavericks, who now have one of the NBA’s best point guards as they look toward the playoffs. This will be Kidd’s second stint with Dallas.
The eight-player deal, in the making since before the all-star break, sends Kidd, forward Malik Allen and guard Antoine Wright to Dallas for point guard Devin Harris, center DeSagana Diop and swingman Maurice Ager, plus forward Trenton Hassell and the retired Keith Van Horn. The Nets also get two first-round draft picks and $3 million.
Van Horn and Hassell replace Jerry Stackhouse and Devean George in an original trade proposal. Stackhouse’s presence in the deal was muddled by plans to get him back to Dallas — within the rules, although in a way the NBA frowned upon — and George used his veto power to block his involvement.
“He’s a once-in-a-lifetime type of guy to play with and coach,” Nets coach Lawrence Frank said of Kidd. “He’s had an unbelievable impact on everyone in this organization and we wish him nothing but the best.”
Trade rumors had followed Kidd since last season when the Nets nearly pulled off a deal to send him to the Los Angeles Lakers. Last month he publicly demanded to be traded, starting a new round of rumors that have hung over the team for the last three weeks.
New Jersey was 23-30 and tied with Philadelphia for the sixth-best record in the Eastern Conference entering Tuesday’s games. The Nets have lost 14 of their last 20 games.
“We were in a holding pattern for so long, now there’s no more holding, no more waiting,” Frank said.
Meanwhile, the Nets might get involved in another trade before Thursday’s deadline.
According to , the New York Knicks were in preliminary talks for a three-team deal that would send Eddy Curry to the Miami Heat, Jason Williams and Ricky Davis to the Nets and former all-star Vince Carter to the Knicks.
Kidd’s game
Dallas and New Jersey finalized an eight-player megadeal, in the making since before the all-star break. Players involved (with season averages):
DALLAS GETS:
G Jason Kidd: 11.3 points, 10.3 assists, 8.1 rebounds.
F Malik Allen: 5.4 pts., 2.7 reb. G Antoine Wright: 7.3 pts., 3.0 reb., 25.8 min.
NEW JERSEY GETS:
G Devin Harris: 14.4 pts., 5.3 ast. C DeSagana Diop: 3.0 pts., 5.2 reb. F Maurice Ager: 1.3 pts. F Trenton Hassell: 2.1 pts. F Keith Van Horn: Retired; has not played this season.
Note: New Jersey also gets two first-round picks and $3 million.
