Yardbarker: Malik Allen

It's Official: JFK Returns to Dallas

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:43:38 -0500

Mavericks President of Basketball Operations Donnie Nelson called it, "hands down the most unique transaction that I've even been involved in…Ever." Mavs Majority Owner Mark Cuban added, "it's been the most interesting, unique trade we've ever done, and we've done some doozies."

And was it ever.

With the trade between the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets FINALLY completed yesterday, Jason Frederick Kidd (JFK) makes his return to the team that he spent his first three-and-a-half seasons with—the Dallas Mavericks.

The modified deal still featured Jason Kidd and Devin Harris as its main pieces (along with New Jersey's Malik Allen and Dallas' DeSagana Diop, Maurice Ager, their first round selections in 2008 and 2010, and a cool three million in greenbacks). But dropped Jerry "loose lips" Stackhouse and Devean George in lieu of Trenton Hassell and the unofficially retired Keith Van Horn. New Jersey swingman Antoine Wright was also been added to the Kidd-Harris deal instead of the originally proposed separate deal for a future second-round pick.

In this deal, the Nets got what they wanted in this eight-player deal (without the baggage of Stackhouse and George), a combination of expiring contracts, draft picks, cash, and a promising young player in Devin Harris. As for the Mavericks, Kidd gives them a veteran presence at the point guard position—one that the team has not felt since Steve Nash was allowed to sign with the Phoenix Suns in the summer of 2004.

In an interview with Mavs.com, Kidd shared that he will be sporting jersey #2—his old number is currently being worn by forward Josh Howard—and "wasn't about to ask Howard to change numbers." Kidd's new number also oddly resembles his old number (when reversed, #2 looks like #5) as well as symbolizes his second chance with the Dallas Mavericks.

Below are some of the questions and answers thrown at the Mavericks new court general:

How do you feel physically at this point of your career?

"Coach asked me and I said I feel great. Mentally and physically I feel that I can do the things I did when I first came into the league. People may feel that I've lost a step, you have good days and bad days, but the biggest thing is just understanding my teammates. I've never had to score a lot of points for us to win. I always tried to make the game as easy as possible for my teammates to score. I've always been on a team with scorers, so they've been happy. As I've gotten older, I've understood to help the big guys rebound. I still love the challenge. The gamesmanship of going out against the other guys who might be faster, who might score a lot more, but taking that challenge and trying to slow them down. Also showing that you don't have to score to be successful."

This move was done with an eye on a championship.

"We're in the elite group. They've had a lot of success the last couple years. I feel what I can bring is some mental toughness to show that you can bend, but not break. There's always is a lot of basketball to be played, so I feel I can help them win. There are so many pieces – Josh, Dirk, Stack and the other guys on this team – and the two other guys – Antoine and Malik. Antoine brings something to the table defensively and can score. Malik brings his toughness and can score. I'm excited about this opportunity because the Mavericks have their eye on winning a championship. If you think that way, it spreads throughout the team and that's the one thing that everybody is concentrating on."

That's the one thing you want in your career.

"That's all I want – to win a championship. It's not guaranteed, but you want to play for it. When you take the floor with the Mavericks, you're on that path to win a championship."

Would you describe your career as successful or unfulfilled or a bit of both?

"It's been a successful career. Everybody feels that they are measured by championships, and you are, and I've been to the Big Dance twice, so I've had that opportunity and that's the best feeling. There are 30 teams and only two teams at the end of the day. There is no bigger stage than that. To be able to do that is great. Unfortunately, there is only one winner. Nothing is promised, but when you have other guys on your team that are in the same fight, it makes coming to work a lot easier."

----------------
Now playing: Mike Francis - Harvest For The World
via FoxyTunes

Jason Kidd: From a Net, back to a Maverick

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:43:38 -0500

Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks.

Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks.

Amazing.

Current Mavericks owner Mark Cuban must have really been impressed with Kidd's performance in his Mavericks loss last Sunday (February 10, 2008) at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J.

Kidd finished with that contest with 13 points, 14 assists, and 6 rebounds (falling 4 caroms short of his 100th career triple-double); while orchestrating the Nets to a 20-4 run at the end of the first half.

By the time the smoke cleared, Kidd's (then) eight-place Nets beat the (then) Southwest division leading Dallas Mavericks 101-82.

Now, when the proposed blockbuster deal, which would send the soon-to-be 35 year-old Jason Kidd back to the team that originally drafted him in 1994, clears--Kidd will again be running the show for the Dallas Mavericks.

But this time, Kidd has an edge. Instead of making people like Jimmy Jackson, Jamal Mashburn, Roy Tarpley, and (current Mavericks player-development staff member) Ron "Popeye" Jones better; Kidd's new ensemble includes his new partner-in-crime Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Jason "The Jet" Terry, Eddie Jones, Juwan Howard, and (most likely returnee after the trade and buyout) Jerry Stackhouse.

This is a very old group with Kidd, Jones, Howard, and Stackhouse in their mid-thirties.

The window of opportunity is small.

But it's there.

Now the $100 million dollar question is--can the Mavericks take advantage of it?

Trade Breakdown:

New Jersey: Jason Kidd and Nets forward Malik Allen.

Dallas Mavericks: Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, DeSagna Diop, Devean George, Maurice Ager, two future first-round picks (2008 and 2010), and $3 million dollars.

----------------
Now playing: Michael Jackson - Human Nature
via FoxyTunes

Team Preview #24: Milwaukee Bucks

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:34:25 -0500

PG battle: Ridnour vs. Sessions... LAST SEASON The Bucks went 26-56 under coach Larry Krystowiak, and have now lost 110 games over the past 2 seasons. They finished 11th in field goals attempted (82.2), but just 20th in points (97.0) per game, and were mediocre in almost every other category. Right after the season ended, Scott Skiles agreed to a multi-year deal to be the Bucks' new head coach. OFFSEASON MOVES Key Additions: R. Jefferson, L. Ridnour, T. Lue, F. Elson, A. Griffin, M. Allen, D. Jones, J. Alexander Key Losses: Mo Williams, Yi Jianlian, Bobby Simmons, Desmond Mason, Royal Ivey Milwaukee made some bold moves over the summer to try and strengthen their current team and the future of their franchise. First, they traded away Yi & Simmons to New Jersey for Richard Jefferson to upgrade at small forward. Later, they got rid of Mo Williams and his $43 million contract (along with Desmond Mason) for Luke Ridnour, Adrian Griffin, and Damon Jones. They also picked up veterans Tyronn Lue, Malik Allen, and Francisco Elson via free agency for added depth & leadership. In the draft, they selected forwards Joe Alexander at #8 and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute at #37. In one of the funniest & most intriguing DraftExpress comparisons, Alexander's best-case scenario is listed as a "super athletic Matt Harpring." Both players lack polish, so they may not contribute right away. ROTATION / PLAYING TIME Let's start at center, where Andrew Bogut played 34.1 minutes before the All-Star break last season, but 36.6 afterwards. He was much better in the 2nd half, so mark him down for 36 mpg in '08-09. Elson & Dan Gadzuric will battle for backup minutes. The departure of Yi to New Jersey opens up more minutes for Charlie Villanueva at power forward. The 24-year old has struggled since his solid rookie campaign, but without Jianlian cramping his style, I'm projecting Charlie's minutes to shoot up from 24 to 30+ and him having a possible breakout season. Malik Allen will come off the bench and play 10-12 mpg. At small forward, Richard Jefferson will see around 38 minutes of action, while I'm projecting the rookie Alexander to get 14-16 minutes backing up both forward spots. Don't forget about Adrian Griffin, who can still be a defensive stopper when they need him. At shooting guard, Michael Redd will get his usual 37-39 minutes per game while Charlie Bell backs him up. The real battle here is at point guard, where Luke Ridnour, Ramon Sessions, Tyronn Lue, and Damon Jones will all vie for minutes. Don't forget that Skiles still holds the NBA record for most assists in a game with 30, so he won't be giving out minutes to just anyone. Due to his experience advantage, I'm penciling in Ridnour as the opening day starter. I'm projecting 26-28 mpg for Luke to start the season, while Sessions gets 16-18 minutes and Lue gets the rest of the PT. However, if Ridnour falters, don't be surprised to see Sessions emerge as the starter and put up big numbers. DON'T SLEEP ON: Andrew Bogut After the All-Star break, Andrew Bogut was a rock solid fantasy center. In 25 games, he averaged 16.3 points, 11.6 boards, 2.8 assists, 1 steal, and 1.7 blocks in 36.6 minutes per game, while shooting 53.4% FG. In perhaps the most ridiculous stat increase of '07-08, he blocked 1 every 20.2 minutes last season after swatting just 1 shot every 64.5 minutes in '06-07. He was consistent too, as he rejected 1.75 shots per game before the break, and 1.68 per afterwards. His FT% sucks, but I'm high on Bogut because I think the addition of R-Jeff is really going to help him. The Aussie is one of the best passing big men in the league, and adding an athletic slasher like Jefferson can only mean good things. The guy dished out a career-high 3.0 assists per game in '06-07, and could challenge that number in '08-09. With less pressure on him offensively, his already solid FG% should also improve. Bogut turns 24 in November and is still improving, so don't hesitate to use a Top 75 pick on him. BE CAREFUL OF: Luke Ridnour & Ramon Sessions I'm not a big fan of Luke Ridnour, but at 27 years old, he has a lot more experience than Sessions. A change of scenery should also help Ridnour out a lot, as he can't play much worse than he did in Seattle last season. And even if Ramon outplays Luke in preseason, I'm predicting that Skiles will begin the year with Ridnour as his starting PG. How come? Well, if Ridnour starts the season on the bench, I believe his confidence would take a much bigger hit than if Sessions starts on the bench. Meanwhile, Sessions burst onto the scene late in the year and averaged a whopping 11.5 points, 11.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in April, giving many fantasy owners the boost they needed to win their leagues. As a result, he has a lot of fans out there eager to gamble on him in hopes that he'll win the starting job. And if those people are blinded by the 13.1 dimes that he averaged in 7 starts last season, they could draft Ramon way too soon this year. My advice: Don't draft either one unless they're still available in the very last rounds. If Ridnour is named starter before your draft takes place, he'll likely be gone by Round 11. Sessions is an excellent last round upside pick, but if someone gambles on him much sooner, don't worry. I'm guessing that Ramon won't get enough minutes to have value at the start of the season, so a lot of owners will drop him right away. And then, whenever it looks like Luke might falter, you can swoop in and get Sessions for free! ROUND BY ROUND TARGETS (Where you should draft these guys in an 8-cat Roto league with 12 teams and 14 man rosters) Click on the link to find out!

Winners and Losers: NBA Trades and Signings of 2008

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:32:44 -0500

So with the trade deadline passing at 3PM yesterday and a flurry of blockbuster trades and signings in 2008, it is time to look at the winners and the losers.

NBA Fantasy Impact Trades: Jason Kidd to Mavs

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:08:21 -0500

After the initial deal was put on hold, Jason Kidd's move to Dallas finally came to fruition yesterday. FIO and TalkHoops.net writer Zach Harper breaks down this trade from a fantasy point of view, and discusses each player involved in the trade and their potential value from here on out.

It's Official: JFK Returns to Dallas

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:19:18 -0500

Mavericks President of Basketball Operations Donnie Nelson called it, "hands down the most unique transaction that I've even been involved in…Ever." Mavs Majority Owner Mark Cuban added, "it's been the most interesting, unique trade we've ever done, and we've done some doozies." And was it ever. With the trade between the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets FINALLY completed yesterday, Jason Frederick Kidd (JFK) makes his return to the team that he spent his first three-and-a-half seasons with—the Dallas Mavericks. The modified deal still featured Jason Kidd and Devin Harris as its main pieces (along with New Jersey's Malik Allen and Dallas' DeSagana Diop, Maurice Ager, their first round selections in 2008 and 2010, and a cool three million in greenbacks). But dropped Jerry "loose lips" Stackhouse and Devean George in lieu of Trenton Hassell and the unofficially retired Keith Van Horn. New Jersey swingman Antoine Wright was also been added to the Kidd-Harris deal instead of the originally proposed separate deal for a future second-round pick. In this deal, the Nets got what they wanted in this eight-player deal (without the baggage of Stackhouse and George), a combination of expiring contracts, draft picks, cash, and a promising young player in Devin Harris. As for the Mavericks, Kidd gives them a veteran presence at the point guard position—one that the team has not felt since Steve Nash was allowed to sign with the Phoenix Suns in the summer of 2004. In an interview with Mavs.com, Kidd shared that he will be sporting jersey #2—his old number is currently being worn by forward Josh Howard—and "wasn't about to ask Howard to change numbers." Kidd's new number also oddly resembles his old number (when reversed, #2 looks like #5) as well as symbolizes his second chance with the Dallas Mavericks. Below are some of the questions and answers thrown at the Mavericks new court general: How do you feel physically at this point of your career? "Coach asked me and I said I feel great. Mentally and physically I feel that I can do the things I did when I first came into the league. People may feel that I've lost a step, you have good days and bad days, but the biggest thing is just understanding my teammates. I've never had to score a lot of points for us to win. I always tried to make the game as easy as possible for my teammates to score. I've always been on a team with scorers, so they've been happy. As I've gotten older, I've understood to help the big guys rebound. I still love the challenge. The gamesmanship of going out against the other guys who might be faster, who might score a lot more, but taking that challenge and trying to slow them down. Also showing that you don't have to score to be successful." This move was done with an eye on a championship. "We're in the elite group. They've had a lot of success the last couple years. I feel what I can bring is some mental toughness to show that you can bend, but not break. There's always is a lot of basketball to be played, so I feel I can help them win. There are so many pieces – Josh, Dirk, Stack and the other guys on this team – and the two other guys – Antoine and Malik. Antoine brings something to the table defensively and can score. Malik brings his toughness and can score. I'm excited about this opportunity because the Mavericks have their eye on winning a championship. If you think that way, it spreads throughout the team and that's the one thing that everybody is concentrating on." That's the one thing you want in your career. "That's all I want – to win a championship. It's not guaranteed, but you want to play for it. When you take the floor with the Mavericks, you're on that path to win a championship." Would you describe your career as successful or unfulfilled or a bit of both? "It's been a successful career. Everybody feels that they are measured by championships, and you are, and I've been to the Big Dance twice, so I've had that opportunity and that's the best feeling. There are 30 teams and only two teams at the end of the day. There is no bigger stage than that. To be able to do that is great. Unfortunately, there is only one winner. Nothing is promised, but when you have other guys on your team that are in the same fight, it makes coming to work a lot easier."

Mr. Maverick... Once Again

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:28:13 -0500

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 retired forward Keith Van Horn and Trenton Hassell. New Jersey also gets two first-round draft picks and $3 million.

Kidd Trade: "appears to be a go."

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 06:12:35 -0500

According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Nets and Dallas Mavericks have a conference call set up for early Tuesday to discuss with league officials the many sored details of the trade that will send Jason Kidd to Dallas...finally. Net's team president Rod Thorn sent word out to media members Monday night that the deal, "appears to be a go."

Trade Analysis: Jason Kidd for Devin Harris et al.

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:01:35 -0500

A breakdown of the effect on both rosters after the long talked about miniseries that was the Kidd to Dallas trade finally was consummated.

Kidd Traded to Dallas: Take Two

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:13:57 -0500

So it looks like a different deal is now in the works between the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets for Jason Kidd. With the announcement of the first deal and its subsequent fall-out, you knew it was just a matter of time before this deal would get done (trade deadline is this Thursday, by the way).

Kidd Traded... Again

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 22:38:30 -0500

Jason Kidd has been traded to the Dallas Mavericks... again. And ...again... this deal might have some complications. We detail what going on and why the deal is so damn hard to finish.

Stackhouse interview could kill the deal to acquire Kidd

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 09:44:12 -0500

Man, is this becoming a soap opera or what? "As the New Jersey Nets and Dallas Mavericks feverishly worked to convince Devean George to join in the trade for Jason Kidd on Thursday, there suddenly loomed another issue that could obliterate the proposed deal: the loose lips of Jerry Stackhouse. The NBA will investigate the possibility the Mavericks and Stackhouse violated league rules with a prearranged agreement for the forward to return to Dallas after reaching a contract buyout in New Jersey and sitting out the 30-day waiting period, sources said. Several league sources said the NBA will consider forbidding Stackhouse to re-sign with the Mavericks this season as punishment for public comments the forward made on Wednesday that suggested tampering could have occurred. " The article contains the text of Stackhouse's interview, the reaction of some league executives, and what's currently going on with the trade that may never happen. What a colossal mess!

Jason Kidd Trade: Avery Johnson's reaction 02

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 23:56:25 -0500

Reporter: "What are the odds this deal goes through?" Johnson: "Right now, zero."

Jason Kidd Trade: Avery Johnson's reaction

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 23:43:18 -0500

Avery Johnson's initial reaction to a reporter's mention of Dallas' potential trade.

Devean George: "I'll be the bad guy"

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 23:17:44 -0500

The complete post-game interview with Devean George.