ItsTheBlog™

Jason Kidd rumors are the latest to be swirling around the NBA just weeks before the NBA's trading deadline. In what has seemed like an incredibly boring trade-season thus far, it's hard not to remember what happened just before the season started. Let me remind you.

Kobe asked to be traded. Kobe backed off. Kobe asked to be traded again. Kobe backed off, but didn't rescind his demand. Rumors were hot. Nothing happened, just as I predicted. And, at this point, everyone would be incredibly surprised if anything did happen, especially in light of the Lakers' early season success.

Another hot topic suggested that Jermaine O'neal would be moved. It's February, and J-O is still a Pacer. Similar rumbles surrounded the Phoenix Suns and their desire to move Shawn Marion and the Utah Jazz with Andrei Kirilenko. No such move.

But Kidd's name has perhaps been being dangled around the longest. Last year about this time, the big news was that Jason Kidd was being offered to the Lakers in exchange for relatively unknown Andrew Bynum.

What looked like an incredible offer back then for the Lakers to jump on, Mitch Kupchak and Co. refused, holding Bynum as part of the the Lakers future. Kobe criticized in the now infamous video in the parking lot of a random strip mall. Now, you know the story. Bynum breaks out. Lakers have early success, and everyone (including Kobe) seems happy. Unfortunately, a Bynum injury has the excitement back on hold for a while.

Fast forward to this season, and the Kidd to the Lakers rumors are still running. At least one ESPN blogger thinks that the Lakers could (or should) still be a player in the sweepstakes, this time with Lamar Odom as the centerpiece of the deal. The LA Times suggests that the Lakers won't be a player in the negotiations.

Instead, it's the Mavericks, ironically the team that drafted Kidd, who are looking to acquire the 34-year old point guard. Several strange packages have been mentioned, the most popular involving the help of a third team--the Portland Trail Blazers. Young guys like Channing Frye, Jarrett Jack, and Travis Outlaw are likely to be sent to New Jersey, while the Nets send Kidd to the Mavs, who send Devin Harris and likely Brandon Bass to the Blazers. Jerry Stackhouse could also be involved.

The other kink in the chain in LeBron James, who is quietly lobbying for Kidd to come to the Cavs. Neither situation sounds half bad for Kidd. Playing with Dirk or playing with LeBron.

My thoughts? I hope he's moved. Kidd deserves another chance at success, and unfortunately it's not going to happen in New Jersey. After taking to the Nets to the Finals twice, they've dropped off severely.

But, it seems that Kidd in Dallas, Cleveland, or even Los Angeles would turn any of those teams into an instant contender. I'm going to guess that Mark Cuban sees this and tries pretty hard to get Kidd as much as he can, if Kidd moves at all.

Lakers are out and the Cavs are a long-shot. Expect it to take a week or two, but I'm going to guess that Kidd moves to Dallas before the deadline.

Labels: Bynum, Jason Kidd, Kevdog, Kobe, LeBron, Mavericks, NBA, New Jersey Nets