Brian Windhorst from the ABJ fills us in. The Jason Kidd-to-the-Cavs stories are certainly sexy, at least in a basketball sense. And after Kidd’s comments to Sports Illustrated last week, there’s some rationale. There’s his contract issues and the weird headache. All the elements are there, which is why my inbox has been blowing up. But now comes this blog’s trademark…realism.
First of all, after talking to some NBA executives today, the word Nets president Rod Thorn is putting out there is that he’s not interested in trading Kidd right now. Obviously that’s fluid and things would change if Kidd came out and demanded to be traded. That hasn’t happened yet.
Secondly, the Cavs probably don’t have the assets to pull this deal off. The Nets will want a star (which the Cavs don’t have to trade) or a package of young talent (they have some there) instant expiring contracts (which they don’t have enough of) and draft picks (they have next year’s No. 1). It would’ve been interesting if this happened last week, because maybe there could’ve been a sign-and-trade with Anderson Varejao to help.
Anyway, someone will need about $15 million in contracts to make a Kidd trade work under the rules. In addition, the Nets have 14 contracts so doing a 3-for-1 or 4-for-2 deal doesn’t work without them cutting someone. All their expirings next year don’t make sense in a deal because Kidd’s deal expires next year. Plus if the Nets trade him, they’ll want to trade him West. Never say never, but this just isn’t likely.
If you want to start talking about a point guard — and with Varejao now signed, the Cavs are starting to think trades — look at Andre Miller. The Sixers just made a change at the top, firing general manager Billy King, and they are headed nowhere fast this season. King was not crazy about moving Miller, who Danny Ferry really likes, in the past. The Sixers are also in position to have a lot of salary cap space next summer and the Cavs could get them some more by involving Ira Newble and Shannon Brown in a deal.
Source:Â Ohio.Com