Captain Kidd No Longer On Board

The worst-kept secret in the NBA became a reality last night - Jason Kidd wants out.

You guys all wished it wasn't true, that the media was overblowing everything Kidd did, but it was obvious he wasn't happy and didn't want to be here.

You will read plenty about this on the print side tomorrow.

Kidd told his buddy Ric Bucher at ESPN after he told us he wanted to stay a Net and he never instructed his agent to ask for a trade. In other words, Kidd lied to us in Minnesota when I asked him about the report and if he wanted to remain a Net.

"I have no idea where that came from," Kidd said of the report he wanted to be traded. "I haven't talked to Jeff [Schwartz]. Jeff has been traveling. Not to my knowledge has Jeff asked for a trade or anything like that."

Do you want to be here, I asked.

"Yeah, I want to be here," Kidd said outside the visiting locker room. "We're in a hole right now. We're just trying to find a way to get out of it. Whatever someone speculated that Jeff said, that goes with losing. That's just the way it goes sometimes."

Less than 24 hours later, Kidd told ESPN, "It's time to move on."

Please refer back to the Dec. 5 game against the Knicks.

I took a lot of heat for writing that Kidd's migraine - according to sources - was a staged protest to get a contract extension. I wasn't the only one to write it, but some fans thought I was stirring it up. A couple of days ago, I believe Steve said I should let it go, that it doesn't matter anymore when I talked about the team's problems.

It set the tone for the whole season because it was obvious then Kidd didn't want to be here, and to what level he would stoop to show it. And it had an adverse effect on everyone.

Kidd held a press conference the next day and denied that he staged anything. I don't want to say he lied like he did to us Sunday night, but many people in the organization don't believe him. Can you blame them?

His relationship with Rod Thorn hasn't been the same since.

Honestly, I would have given Kidd the extension back in training camp to avoid some of the drama - something else would have come up, no doubt. The Nets should have given Kidd what he wanted. Now he's forcing them to do something they necessarily don't want to do and something that likely will set the franchise back years.

It's up to Rod Thorn and Kiki Vandeweghe now to find the deal that makes sense, that doesn't alienate whatever fans the Nets still have coming to the games when the team is underachieving, playing miserably at home and moving in a couple of years.

It will be interesting to see what kind of crowd the Nets get against the Bucks and what the reaction for Kidd will be, if he's there. The Nets fully expect him to be there.

It will be interesting to see what the Nets look like in a couple of weeks, too.

Comments

[bobbo]

It's all about Al.

[bobbo]

It's all about Al.

[Isaac]

This is as bad as it gets - we have known for 4 years Kidd didn't really want to be here but he is really holding the team up at the stake now. If not for pathetic Joumana and her tv aspirations, he almost certainly would have signed with the Spurs in '03.... It's almost impossible to say after all he has done for us, especially the two unthinkable NBA Finals runs but he is likely leaving the team as a villain - he has quit on this team more times than I can count, and ran an apparently competent coach in Byron Scott out of here, and now we are stuck with his puppet boy Loser Frank. I have practically worshipped Kidd for 7 years and now I can't even explain how disappointed I am in him. The future with Frank, Ratner and Vince is so bleak I can't even find the tunnel to see the light out of...

[Steven]

I'll be there tomorrow night, haven't decided whether to boo Kidd, or just give him nothingness. I think Kidd's still bitter about not signing with the Spurs when he had a chance. Now I kinda wish he did leave the Nets back then, instead of it coming to an end like this.

[Chris]

It has been nothing short of an honor of watching Jason Kidd play for the Nets over the past 6 and a half years. Having a strong basketball background myself, I have never seen anyone make their teammates that much better then he has. Kenyon Martin, What has he done since he left New Jersey? He's made RJ into a superstar caliber player. Unfortunately, it is time for us Nets fans and Jason Kidd to move on. Is it tough? Sure. Has Jason Kidd been a perfect teammate,and citizen in New Jersey? No, not at all and I have been frustrated with him many times over the years. But, do you really fault the guy for wanting to go to a contender and to try and win a title? I have to respect the fact that he is 34 years old, and is not getting any younger. He has maybe 3 good years left.. and that is a strong maybe. I will root for Jason Kidd on any team he goes to, and hope he does get his ring. He brought us Nets fans from the bottom of the well, to nearly the top of the world. Thank you Jason, and good luck.

[daniel]

kidd for iverson makes sense for both teams....

[Greg]

I knew it was coming....wanted to beleive it wasn't true, but the writing was already on the wall. You know what I say? Put Kidd on the IR. Tell him to stay home, he wants to "move on" we'll call him when he's been dealt. Teams know what they're getting, he's not injured, he's quit on the team -- why have him play? He can't increase his value, but he can decrease it by getting hurt with some freak accident, not worth the risk. Start Marcus and let's see what happens...

[Mr. Dollar Bills]

Hey Al is it really surprising that a guy who beat the crap out of his wife in front of his son and has been accused of groping a woman in public against her will would lie right to your face?

[MrCrabs]

Chris, why don't you thank Kidd for the fake Migraines he made up. Thank him for cheating on his wife and fathering kids with 10 different woman. Also thank him for Groping girls at club and staying upp all night before a game. Thank him for hitting a female over some fries. Thank him for not playing w/ his heart this last month and finally thank him for lying consistantly. Go root for him Chris. Ur not a Nets fan anyways. Keep the change you filthy animals!!!

[adam]

The media always wants a juicy story, so I can't blame the players for not wanting to pour their heart and souls out to the writers. Don't take it so personally. But someone needs to teach Kidd to say "no comment" instead of lying through his teeth all the time. I think Kidd may lie because he doesn't want to upset anyone, but then he just ends up upsetting everyone by being so blatantly dishonest. lol.

Again, this really isn't news. Anyone with a brain could figure out how pissed he gets when we lose or when Carter doesn't seem to bring it. As Rod Thorn reitterated a million times today, he isn't going to trade anyone for some terrible embarrassing deal (the only offers out there for Kidd are awfully bad). Kidd is under contract here and it's not like he's going to bench himself for the next year and a half and make a complete fool out of himself. He is under contract here, and he'll learn to like it. lol.

Really, I hope Rod can avoid blowing up the team, and instead wait until the right deal comes along that will make us better. I still like this team (+ Krstic) and we really may only be a piece or two away from being really very good. I really think Carter needs to go, or at least some of the dead weights on the bench.

[Isaac]

Obviously I understand Kidd wants to win and I can't blame him for that, but he helped create this mess by pushing for a joke of a coach and recommending some of the clowns (Rogers, Mutombo and even 'Zo) that he apparently did to Thorn.
As for his personal problems, it's tough to judge any athlete these days on that because so many would fall below expectations. I am tired of his quitting though, a real leader (as he certainly was when he got here) would not constantly give up. That being said, Rod has done an awful job the last few years trying to improve the team around him, but I still put most of the blame on the pig Bruce Ratner. Ever since he bought the team that he is trying to steal away from the true Nets fans, it has been all downhill. He knows nothing about the sport and has his own greedy reasons for even being involved with the franchise in any way, shape or form - this is no way to create success on the court. Worst of all, it seems the Rat is largely responsible for the re-signing of Vince which all but ended the glorious Jason Kidd era of New Jersey Nets Basketball. I'm afraid we are really in for it now, the return to the dark days of 30-win seasons when winning once every week and a half seems like a minor miracle. So thanks for the all the amazing memories Jason, but it would have been nice if you considered the many of us that held you in such high regard until you pulled some of the stunts that you have, particularly that "migraine" against our most hated opponents with the season still salvagable.

[Nets fan joe]

Kidd has his immature ways and he is far from a saint, but he has a point. We need an upgrade to the roster. The last thing I want to do is trade Kidd for the garbage being offered.

Truly, if they all played hard, we'd have a winning record right now and be a top 5 seed. Those painfully close games against the likes of the Clips, Golden State, and Minny would have all been wins. We'd beat the Knicks, too.

Thorn needs to make a trade to improve the team, but the "woe is me, we stink" attitude is silly. If you play hard, you win games. Simple as that.

I would take a gamble and trade Carter for Jermaine O'Neal right now. If both are going to be injured, we might as well go with the big man. I'd like to think Kidd would inspire, and be inspired, by the likes of O'Neal.

[rich]

Isn't O'Neal available? I'd throw Carter at them. I'd throw RJ at anyone. But Kidd is special. You keep guys like that around, especially when the offers in return are SO BAD. But that is to be expected. Kidd's contract is big, he's older, and no good team can afford to rip everything apart that's working for them to get Kidd. It's just not financially responsible, so that's why the deals stink.

Forget the personal problems, most NBA players have them. I was mad he sat out with a fake headache and demands trades every two seconds when things aren't going his way. But actually, I forgave him during that stretch when we were hot, and went 8-2 winning 5 in a row. Kidd was fantastic during that stretch and we moved up to 4th best record in the EC. At that point, I said frig the headache. Who cares. We know he has character issues. Then he quit again after the Boston game. But I don't really even care because we do need a roster upgrade since they refuse to fire Frank.

I just want Kidd to stay here and I want Rod Thorn to do a better job of improving the team. Kidd is too valuable, has done too much here, and has been such a meaningful member of this franchise that giving him away now would be a travesty for anyone who has ever rooted for the Nets. No other team will appreciate Kidd like we do, no other team will ever feel the dramatic impact that Kidd has made on this franchise.

So yeah, Rod, please keep him, and work on moving somebody else.

[marc]

kidd was great while on the team. He def made players better but we should have traded him last year and never resigned vince. The truth is we have been in a rebuilding mode for 2 years now and we could have gotten more value for getting rid of these guys last yr. I hope they do not trade him to dallas for expiring contracts which is one of the rumors. Maybe Iverson in return is the best thing to do because he can be used in a 3 team trade. They really need to move carter as well and actually let 5 players who are willing to give 100% effort every night start. There is no excuse for a team that had this much talent to lose 9 in a row. Trade the whole team!

[marc]

guys get off of the fire fran talk. The lack of effort from the the all star players on the team is what caused the demise. you can tell the role players play with heart and give their all but they make mistakes because they are young and inexperienced. It's Kidd and Carter who have put the holes in the sinking ship. We all love Kidd but we all know we arent going anywhere and we cant trade any peices for a big that we have been searching years for. It's unfortunate but the party is over and we need to do something that will enable us to build for the future around RJ.

[sick of the nets]

Lets be happy we have rod thorn in this situation bc he will let kidd rot on the bench until he gets an offer that will benefit the team. He is a business man and has pulled off some of the greatest moves in the history of the game. I understand that we dont have the chance to get nearly full value for kidd but I can almost bet my house that thorn will not give this guy away and will wait until someone is desperate enough to give that extra piece thorn wants to start rebuilding this franchise through the draft, free agency, or trade. The bottom line is that none of the teams that want kidd have anything we would consider valuable so now the ball is in their court to get other teams on the phone and work out a possible multiple team trade that will give us valuable draft picks or a multitude of younger active players that we can build around or use as future trade bait. Jefferson is a nice player to build around and hopefully we can get marcus williams to grow up asap, and nenad to contribute and we may be a playoff team again come brooklyn

[adam]

Haven't you people watched games where RJ was "the man"? He's not made for that type of role. You can't build around a guy like him. That's why we can't be giving away Kidd for scraps because it will set us back for a very long time.

I hate how selfish and ungrateful Kidd acts, but there's no denying that he is a hell of a basketball player, and has meant the world to this franchise. Rod Thorn will not do anything stupid. We can let his contract run out before we trade him for CRAP.

[Adam.y]

Well I hope Thorn is happy he lost a franchise player and ruined this team's move to Brocklyn because of a stupid loyalty he had to a bad coach.

I really dont blame Kidd for all this, I blame Frank and to a lesser extent Vince Carter.

[mjs]

Typical Kidd fashion, needs attention, goes to the national ESPN.com reporter to announce his trade request. Thorn has to put these teams against each other to drive the price up. Everyone knows Kidd wants out, his contract expires next season but at $21+ million the luxury tax comes into play, not exactly helping his value.

The Nets will improve in an addition by subtraction rule. Remove captain chaos, along with the distractions. It will give Frank a chance to coach this team, especially the younger players, and a real leader can step up - perhaps the outspoken, fiery, RJ.

mjs
www.njnetscast.com

[pj7]

i still believe in you guys. i mean the members of the new jersey nets...you could still turn it around...RJ, jkidd, \VC....\I believe in you guys..

[Mr. Dollar Bills]

If there are no deals out there for capspace and expirings I offer Kidd to denver for Iverson straight up. His contract comes off the books next year and he changes the dynamic of the team. We'll be better off shipping Kidd out in the long run. Maybe Vince will wake up too.

[frustrated fron va]

I like the Kidd/Iverson deal....AI plays with some heart...maybe he can wake VC up

[ajsmith]

Tear it up, tear it up, tear it up. No Kidd means no reason to keep VC around either, though the near-impossibility of moving him attests to the idiocy of giving him the deal we're now stuck with. But you've got to do everything possible to get out from under VC.

Is RJ a franchise player? Not really, but give the kids some time, get some flexibility, add a couple more picks, and I guarantee that the closer this team gets to Brooklyn, the easier it will be to lure talent here.

[freddie]

Lets just wait until the all-star weekend is over. lets give those guys the time to think it over and have this team be a better team. Kidd obviously brought the team to the NBA finals twice. He makes other players better. So why not put the trust we have with them back in 2000-2001. They've made it this far. I'm sure they can come back. Vince is not him self right now. Let them find themselves...