All Star point guard Jason Kidd has made it clear to his team, the New Jersey Nets, that he wants out. He had a great run with the Nets, taking them to the NBA Finals. The New Jersey Nets tried to oblige their star player and grant him a trade to a contending team.
Yesterday, news broke that Jason Kidd had been traded to the powerhouse Dallas Mavericks in an eight player deal. But something happened, something went wrong. One of the five players who were to be traded eastward had the ability to veto the deal, and he did. Devean George is currently under contract with the Dallas Mavericks and that contract contains a variation of a no-trade clause.
Devean George, earlier in his career won three consecutive NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. The same Los Angeles Lakers that got the trade season started by making a lopsided deal for Pau Gasol. A deal that San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich derided for its lopsidedness.
The Lakers, having made that deal, solidified their position as a contending team, thus forcing other Western Conference teams to make moves in order to keep up with the Joneses. The Phoenix Suns traded one their best players for an aging and overpaid Shaquille O’neal. This Kidd deal would have been Dallas’ effort to keep up. But the former Laker put a hold on the deal.
It is still possible for George to remove his grievance and okay the trade. For some players, the trade is very good thing: Kidd and a couple of his Nets teammates get to go to a contender and the jetisoned Mavericks get to go play on a team that can give them significant playing time. But Devean George looks like the player with the most to lose from this deal. Having been a key role player with the Lakers for three championship runs, winning another title with Dallas would solidify him as a player who wins where ever he goes and not just a journeyman. He wants to be the new Robert Horry (seven NBA Championships with a total of three teams).
If the trade does go through, with or without George, Dallas ponies up to match the Lakers and Suns, leaving San Antonio, Utah, Denver, Houston and New Orleans picking through the scraps of the Eastern Conference to boulster their teams for a playoff run.
4 responses so far ↓
Dan // February 14, 2008 at 10:24 am
I still think Golden State and San Antonio have the innate ability to get under Kobe’s skin and annoy him into forgetting how to share the ball and be part of the triangle — which is the way to beat them, Gasol or no.
Invoking the no trade clause this late in the deal is a wuss move. You don’t hear big shot Rob bitching when he’s given walking papers.
Bob at York // February 14, 2008 at 10:58 am
George wants to win and I respect that.
Bob at York // February 14, 2008 at 10:59 am
oh and for a second there i thought you were going to say that George vetoed the deal in an effort to help the Lakers. I thought you were going to say he still bleeds purple and gold.
whatigotsofar // February 14, 2008 at 11:23 am
Devean George does bleed purple and gold. GO LAKERS!
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