Mavs Trade for Kidd: My Thoughts (If It Happens…)

As I have already mentioned, I am onboard with the Mavs bringing Jason Kidd in to try to win a title within the next few years. Right now the trade is being held up but I really think it will get done one way or the other. This is a major move and although I’m not thrilled with all the pieces from the Mavs being shipped out (ex. Diop is included which will leave NO backup for Dampier) I know to get something, you have to give up something. Don’t get me wrong. I haven't lost all faith in the team. They still are very good. However, there is something wrong with this mix of guys. I can't put my finger on it but there is something definitely wrong and it has been all year, not just the last few games. Here are my reasons I am onboard with this trade (if/when it happens):

-At the beginning of the year, I really thought that the current roster could win a championship. But that was before the season really got going. What is troubling to me is how the Mavs have struggled against lesser opponents. Consider the teams they have lost to this year, from the leastern conference: Chicago, Washington (multiple times), Atlanta, Milwaukee, New Jersey and Philadelphia. The last two (NJ, Philly) are in such disarray that Dallas should have beaten them with their JV team (like they did last night vs. Portland). Instead, they got run out of the building in both places. None of the teams I just mentioned have a .500 record and really only one (Washington) is even sniffing .500 ball. However, Dallas has played well against Western teams...this far.

-Even though Dallas plays VERY WELL at home, their road record is abysmal. They already have 14 loses on the road and the last time they were a sub .500 road team was back in 03-04 which ended with a 1st rd loss to Sac town. With the exception of 03-04, Dallas has been one of the best road teams in the league every year. But this year, it just aint happenin' for them. If they can't figure out how to win on the road consistently, a first round exit is NOT out of the possibility given the depth of Western conference teams.

-If the playoffs started today, Houston would be out of the playoffs...and they are just 3 games behind Dallas. The Western conference is ridiculously good, deep and wide open. So now is the time to make a move! The Mavs schedule after the all star break is sick...multiple games vs. all the Western foes. So all it takes is a little slump, for them to be out of contention all together. Do I think that will happen? Probably not. It would take a meltdown of sizeable proportion for Dallas not to make the playoffs, although meltdowns have been par for the course the last two playoff years.

-I am not anti Devin Harris. I like Devin and acknowledge he has improved each year however, I am not sold on him becoming the next John Stockton (which may be too much to ask, however he was taken #5 overall in the draft). He has speed and quickness, which is great, but there are holes in his game especially with his shooting and assists. I'm not asking him to be Nash or Kidd, when it comes to assists, but he should already be better (in my opinion) than he is currently with that. You KNOW what Kidd has. You don't know, definitively, what Harris has. He has potential...quite a bit of it. But if that potential is never realized and he never takes that final step to being an elite point guard, then all we had to begin with was potential. If the team waits for Harris to develop another 3 years, where will Dirk be in his game? Will he start to be on the decline at that point? Dallas’ window to win a title is shutting (just like the window for Phoenix, San Antonio, Boston, Detroit, etc.) so the future is now.

-I think this move would benefit Avery too. He is one helluva good coach and knows the game inside and out. But it seems after every game you hear him saying the same thing: "We just took too many jump shots tonight." The Mav’s defense is sloppy (or nonexistent at times) and the team reminds me too much of Nellie's jump shooting teams. But Kidd can get to the basket and distribute the ball better than Harris who is still learning how to play the point guard position. Avery won’t have to constantly coach Kidd from the bench like he does with Devin. He can let Kidd run the offense and be the “quarterback” of the team. Right now, I’m not too sure Avery feels comfortable totally giving the reigns over to Harris to run the offense in the playoffs.

If Kidd is brought in, the team gets better immediately for this year and next. After that, who knows. I'm not knee jerking, I'm really not. Like I said at the beginning, I think the team is still very good. However, I think the past two post season crashes have taken their toll on the team mentally and this is a trade that needs to be made.