Kidd takes the money

So the Knicks top free agent target decided to stay with his current team. It's a tough, but somewhat expected defeat for the Knicks. But this'd hurt more if it were next summer. The Knicks really aren't players in free agency this year, not with a skeleton roster and just the mid-level exception to offer. Jason Kidd said he wanted to take the weekend to decide between staying in Dallas for three years and $24M or coming to New York for $6M less. A source told me he spent Sunday in Dallas with Mark Cuban, which left little doubt which way Kidd was leaning, as if there really ever was any doubt to begin with. In case anyone needed confirmation, you can read it here from the Worldwide Leader. With this knowledge, on top of the fact that Grant Hill spent his Sunday with someone else as well (Celtics coach Doc Rivers was in Orlando wooing him to come to Boston), the options are dwindling fast. Hill is scheduled to come in Monday to meet with Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni, but at this point is it more than just a mere courtesy? Lessee...step into a rebuilding situation at 36, or take the chance to play a role for a championship-caliber team? So let's roll on down the line here at the next options: * - Andre Miller? Seriously, not for the mid-level. * - Ramon Sessions? Milwaukee made the moves they needed to make to ensure they could handle matching the Knicks' offer, if not going higher, for the dynamic young guard. And not sure the Knicks want to commit that long-term for a somewhat unproven guard. * - Mike Bibby? Word is he prefers to remain in Atlanta. The Knicks haven't reached out yet...but likely will check it out. For Bibby, we're talking short-term offer. Unlike Kidd, he doesn't make you that much better on and, more importantly, off the court, where you can surrender cap space in 2010. All eyes now fall back on Steve Nash, perhaps the last hope for 2009-10....But is Nash just keeping the Knicks in his conversations for the same reasons Kidd came for his visit? Make the home team sweat out a few more millions and make you feel wanted, nake sure they aren't dismantling the team, because if you're going to be part of a rebuild, it would be more fun to do it in New York. As for other alternatives, Fixers, there is always Chris Duhon and the belief he can give you more of what you saw in the first half last season and not lose so much steam in the second half. You can't discount his first-half performance because of how quickly he faded in the second half after carrying such a heavy load of minutes. Is it enough to get you to the playoffs? Likely not. But, really, this team is still a long way from contending for anything in the East. The mid-level just may not yield what you need, but it can be used -- at least a bit of it -- to fill some gaps in the meantime as you continue to build. Carlos Delfino may become an unrestricted free agent if the Raptors renouce his rights (as a result of the Turkoglu signing). Delfino can fill need at the 2-spot. Also, once the signing moratorium ends on Wednesday, Nate Robinson may be used as a sign-and-trade chip. Probably doesn't yield you a starter, though, and, quite frankly, I'm sure it's hard right now to be excited about moving Jared Jeffries' $6.8M off the ledger in 2010. It just may be that the Knicks' biggest signing of the offseason will be David Lee. The rumors are fun. The speculation and armchair-GMing and variations can be exciting. But this is reality, Fixers. At least for one more year. Just bloggin.