Jeff Caplan of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "Two weeks ago, [Devean] George complained about his lack of playing time and said he'd prefer to be traded if he was not going to be a part of Johnson's rotation. Since then, George has logged about 20 minutes a game and produced while Stackhouse has been out with a hamstring injury. He played 33 minutes against Portland and was praised by Johnson as being a true professional. 'Two weeks ago, he was open to it [a trade],' the league source said. 'Now, for whatever reason, he's not. The chance to showcase himself is all there for him in New Jersey. I think he just needs time to digest everything. The unfortunate part,' the source said, 'is it's holding everything up. Hopefully, cooler heads prevail.'"
Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News: "If the Jason Kidd trade is to be salvaged, it will happen without Eddie Jones being involved. Jones said after Wednesday night's game that he has no intention of being traded to a non-championship contender. 'There is no next stop for me,' Jones said. 'I'll go home.' It doesn't appear that's an option for the Mavericks anyway. An NBA source said late Wednesday that the team is still hopeful that the deal as constructed would get an OK from Devean George, whose unwillingness to give up his early Larry Bird free-agent rights blocked the deal that the Mavericks had in place."
Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "While the Mavs' hierarchy, meaning Mark-Avery-Donnie, may now wish bodily harm on George (Devean is hurt most of the time anyway), this guy will be viewed as a hero in many other local precincts. Funny stuff, although owner Cuban wasn't laughing as of Wednesday night, just before the Mavericks tipped off in downtown Dallas against Portland. And now we await today's verdict. Meanwhile, the Mavs are attempting to do what's right, which caused a Wednesday combination of outrage and glee, with outrage seemingly more prevalent. As I was saying before nightfall Wednesday: Welcome home, Jason Kidd. I gotta admit, it'd be good to have Kidd back after all these years, despite those nasty things I had to say about him when he departed years ago."
Ian O'Connor of The Record: "Whenever this trade with the Dallas Mavericks goes through, or whenever a Plan B trade is made in the event this one with Dallas falls apart, Kidd will leave knowing he singlehandedly cured a basketball culture that was diseased to the core. He turned a practical joke of a franchise into a near-champion, and did it by elevating basketball to the art form it can be when the ball ends up in a visionary's hands. So it is a shame he likely finished his Nets career by soiling whatever was left of his good name, perhaps landing in the very place -- Dallas -- where he first learned how to trash team chemistry and sabotage a coach."
Al Iannazzone of The Record: "Reading between the lines -- because they can't say it outright -- team officials believe the Nets' season would be different if Kidd wanted to be here. He's been looking for an exit for much of the season and has played that way. Rod Thorn has recognized that in assessing the team and Frank. 'I think he's a good coach,' Thorn said. 'We've had a lot of things to deal with this year and it's different for everyone. He's handled his part really well. He's always prepared. I think he's a very good coach.' Frank accepts full responsibility for the Nets' record, and knows he's a marked man by some media and many fans. The other night, a reporter suggested with the break upcoming Frank should go away. The coach replied, 'A lot of people are wishing that.' Frank is right, but Thorn continues to stick by his coach."
David Waldstein of The Star-Ledger: "Most people thought the trade, in which Kidd and Malik Allen were provisionally sent to Dallas for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Devean George, Jerry Stackhouse, cash and draft picks, was good for both teams. But one astute observer noted that Rod Thorn kept up his reputation for making yet another remarkable deal. 'Once again, Rod Thorn continues to amaze,' former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said. 'I think he really made a terrific deal for the Nets. Obviously, Jason Kidd is a great player, but he said he wanted out and so you're going to have to change the core of that team. But Rod brought back a quality young point guard, a solid big man in Diop, and he clears out cap room. He did it again.'"
Dave D'Alessandro of The Star-Ledger: "Mark Cuban was reportedly stewing during his team's home game, perhaps contemplating an appropriate punishment for George and Bartelstein, and refraining from comment other than to say that he didn't believe the trade would go through. Regardless of George's right to protect his wallet, there was a general feeling that the momentum was too strong for it to be a deal-breaker, and that the nine-year veteran could benefit in the end. The Nets will undoubtedly try to rework the deal -- if necessary -- because they have probably passed the point of no return. Kidd himself had become difficult for management to deal with the past two seasons -- exerting graduated pressures to move him to a contender, while sending frequent signals about Thorn's failure to build a title contender."
David Moore of The Dallas Morning News: "Go ahead and get it out of your system. Accuse the Mavericks of pushing the panic button. Lament the potential loss of a young, quick point guard in Devin Harris. Shake your head over why the team would want to tie its fortunes to a player who will turn 35 before the playoffs start. Once you work through these emotions and discard your disbelief over how Devean George could throw a wrench into the proceedings, maybe then you can admit what you already know. This is a move the Mavericks must make to give themselves a chance at the championship this season."
Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News: "A deal described as 'imminent' on ESPN.com Wednesday morning didn't get finalized Wednesday. But it certainly appears that the Mavericks are willing to radically change their team by trading with New Jersey for former Maverick Jason Kidd. There's a reason Kidd didn't play for the Nets on Wednesday night, so I would expect the deal to get finalized sometime today. It may still fall apart, as trades involving stars and multimillion-dollar contracts sometimes do. But I applaud the Mavericks for making a play for Kidd and an admission that their team as currently constructed was not going to win an NBA title."
Fred Kerber of the New York Post: "Kidd saw little hope down the road, and with his 35th birthday approaching next month, he saw his window of opportunity closing. He informed the Nets privately he wanted to go to Dallas first. But he wanted a contender. Last season, Kidd nearly was dealt to the Lakers. But Rod Thorn insisted on Andrew Bynum and the Lakers balked. The trade died. Kidd labeled it 'unfortunate.' But this year, it seems his passport from New Jersey has been stamped. 'There's been mention of a snag, but everything works itself out, at the end of the day,' Kidd said. Except for his relationship with the Nets."
John Hollinger in The New York Sun: "I've often said that Nets team president Rod Thorn has been better on the big deals than the small ones, and this would have been another example. The Nets would come away with far more than they had any right to expect, partly because Kidd's reputation around the league hasn't recalibrated to the reality of how he's actually played over the past 12 months. Had Thorn waited until summer the word might have leaked out, which is why acting before the trade deadline was of so much importance. Yet to his credit, he held out for a good deal and could still get it."
Chris McCosky of The Detroit News: "George has a veto clause in his contract and he vetoed the trade. And the way most of the Pistons see it, George saved the Mavericks from making a bad deal. 'I don't see how it (would have made them better),' Billups said. The consensus among the Pistons was that the Mavericks would have given up too much in Harris, who is considered along with Chris Paul and Deron Williams as the best young point guards in the league. They also felt that it didn't really address the Mavericks' primary need -- which is another productive big man to complement Dirk Nowitzki."
Krista Jahnke of the Detroit Free Press: "If the trade goes through, it could affect the Pistons in one minor way -- point guard Chauncey Billups could become the starter in Sunday's All-Star Game. Kidd was voted an Eastern Conference starter by the fans, but if he's traded to Dallas, it's assumed he'll have to suit up for the West. If so, All-Star coach Doc Rivers would pick the new starter, and Billups is the only point guard remaining on the current roster."
Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Times: "Twelve days after the Lakers got Pau Gasol and seven after the Phoenix Suns got Shaquille O'Neal, the Dallas Mavericks agreed to terms on a deal bringing back nine-time All-Star Jason Kidd, five weeks shy of his 35th birthday. Like the Suns, the Mavericks would be trying to change a formula that worked for years -- Dallas won 185 games the last three seasons, more than any other team -- on the fly. Not that this trade would be a stunner after the Lakers and Suns deals, with freewheeling Dallas owner Mark Cuban eager to pull off one of his own. If this long-speculated-upon deal finally goes down, it will be more like 'What kept you?'"
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