In the 'Zzone

In Rod You Should Trust

Rod Thorn is going to make the best deal he can for the Nets in the Jason Kidd sweepstakes. We truly believe that.

Say what you will about the free-agent acquisitions of Rodney Rogers and Alonzo Mourning and the re-signing of Lucious Harris when he had little left and Jimmy Jackson was available - all decisions to please Kidd- or the signings of Chris Childs, Jeff McInnis, Marc Jackson, or Jamaal Magloire.

Those moves either haven't worked out or failed miserably. In free agency, many of the Nets' braintrust's moves have backfired. But as a trader, of course with Ed Stefanski's help, Thorn has made few mistakes.

The Three Way

The Nets are involved in discussions on a three-way trade with the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers, as we first reported on the print side today.

The deal, which would send Jason Kidd to Dallas, includes at least 12 players, draft picks and some cash, and yes, it could happen.

All About Kidd

The biggest surprise of the night - other than the win - was that not one person booed Jason Kidd, at least myself and none of the other writers heard any. And we were listening.

Everyone was out there while the Nets were shooting pre-game. Most of us don’t get out there until after the National Anthem.

I understand the fans are not against Kidd because he’s meant so much to this franchise, been their best NBA player, and everyone remembers the dark years before he arrived. They want to show him appreciation for how ever long he’s here.

The Commitment Question

Jason Kidd was at the morning shootaround and is expected to be at the game tonight. The reactions from some Nets were typical.

Due to time constraints and availability we spoke to the coach, Jason Collins and Richard Jefferson. No Vince Carter because Carter was not available. And of course no Kidd.

One thing is certain – the Nets are lucky the Giants are in the Super Bowl. There wasn’t any extra media there, which is surprising considering a superstar and the best basketball player in the area said publicly that he wanted to be traded. So this won't get the play it deserves.

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.

The Fallout

After the Nets' numbing loss last night in Minnesota, went back to the hotel and happened to ride the elevator with a referee.

He sounded just as stunned as you and I that a team with Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson could lose nine straight games.

He asked what the problem was and we said the point guard doesn't want to be here. The official said he showed that tonight.

Groundhog Day

As you would expect, much of the talk before the Nets looked hapless late in their mind-numbing 98-95 loss to the lowly Wolves was about Jason Kidd’s happiness.

Kidd said he’s happy and wants to remain a Net. Rod Thorn wouldn’t comment on whether a Kidd rep told him to seek a trade.

The thing is, these same conversations were had with Kidd and Thorn in November when Kidd blew up in Utah, in December when Kidd missed a game against the Knicks due to “a migraine,” and here we are again.

Nets Seem Carefree

In the Nets’ locker room it’s mostly quiet except for the noise of showers running. In the media’s presence, there are no players raising their voices and no emotional outbursts where someone says that something needs to change.

Yet, it’s so obvious that something does with this group of Nets, whose 100-85 loss to Denver on Friday was their eighth straight. They will try to avoid matching their worst losing streak in three years when this six-game trip ends here this evening against the NBA-cellar dwelling Timberwolves.

All About Vince

Vince Carter said he didn’t know and didn’t care to know what Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley said about him on TNT on Thursday night.

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” he said. “But it doesn’t even matter. I don’t care.”

The beat writers tried to tell him, he stepped away. We tried again and told him they said his knees were shot.

Catching Up With Kenyon

Kenyon Martin thought it “would have been crazy” if the Nets moved Jason Kidd before the trade deadline last year, but doesn’t feel the same this season.

The former Net power forward, who the team still hasn’t replaced, can’t believe what he’s seeing from his old team. He said the Nets are losing games they should win and is floored that they’ve lost three times to the Knicks this season.

“I can’t control that now,” Martin said with a big smile before burning the Nets with 20 points in a 100-85 Nuggets' win Friday. “I could control it when I was out there. They made that decision [to trade me]. I don’t wish no bad upon them. But it’s a lot different seeing them play now then when I was there.”