Jason Kidd News

"Kobe Bryant is playing in his first Olympics, never having worn a Team USA jersey before joining the team for the 2007 FIBA tournament. Teammate Jason Kidd has played so often for his country, red, white and blue is a regular part of his wardrobe. At 35, Kidd is the elder statesman on the latest version of Team USA and the most experienced in international play. His involvement with USA Basketball dates back to his college days when, as a freshman at Cal, he was selected to the elite team. "I think any time you can represent your country … (it) is a small token of giving back," he said. "This is what this country stands for and to have this opportunity, it's special. So I would never turn ..."

"Forward Richard Jefferson was asked what it would be like to play with an NBA point guard other than Jason Kidd. Jefferson, speaking before Kidd was traded from the New Jersey Nets to the Dallas Mavericks, said, "I don't want to find out." The folks behind the U.S. senior men's national team that will compete at the Beijing Olympics between Aug.8-24 feel the same way. Kidd, undefeated with the United States at 44-0, knows how to bring guys together. The U.S. team needs great chemistry if it hopes to reclaim gold. Shaky chemistry contributed to a sixth-place finish at the 2002 world championships and third at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2006 world championships."

"May we interrupt the Kobe Bryant Olympic Redemption Tour at the starting line and point out that a) he doesn't need to redeem himself; b) any attempt to make the Olympic men's basketball team about a single superstar turns the idea of redemption on its head; and c) if one person does define the 2008 team and a commitment to playing for USA Basketball, it would be Jason Kidd... Kidd, 35, was named to his fifth senior team when the U.S. Olympic roster was announced Monday. He already has a gold medal from the 2000 Games in Sydney. He has nothing to prove as an Olympian, and he has a contract that expires after next season. The extra time on the court this summer could jeopardize his ..."

"The United States basketball team will take a distinct Dallas area flavor to Beijing as it attempts to regain America's lost Olympic dominance. One-fourth of the 12 players named to the team on Monday have local ties. They are Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd and area high school products Chris Bosh of Lincoln and Deron Williams of The Colony. "I look forward to the challenge of winning a gold medal," said Kidd, who played on the 2000 gold-medal team in Sydney. As a veteran of five USA Basketball teams, he is 38-0 in international competition."

"Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd is part of the Olympic basketball team charged with returning a gold medal to the U.S. Officials with USA Basketball have begun to extend formal invitations in recent days. Sources confirmed that Kidd received a call Monday to let him know he would be part of the 12-man roster that competes for the U.S. in this summer's Beijing Games."

"An unlikely comparison took shape over the holiday weekend. Jason Kidd and Indiana Jones aren't all that different. Too much time has passed for either to recapture the swashbuckling inspiration of his youth, but both retain a commanding presence and would benefit from a better script. The Dallas Mavericks acquired Kidd to make a difference, but they couldn't figure out how to use him or put him in positions to be successful. The result, in the words of Dirk Nowitzki, was another wasted season."

"The Mavericks haven't posted the requirements for a new head coach on any sort of message board. If they do, this will appear right after do you think Mark Cuban is a good dancer and can you work for him? Question Two: Do you believe Jason Kidd can still play? If answer is no, you need not apply."

"The Jason Kidd experiment fell woefully short as Hornets point guard Chris Paul stole the show."

"Jason Kidd will not be suspended for his flagrant foul on Jannero Pargo on Sunday in Game 4. Pargo, who was thrown to the floor as he attempted a layup, said he has no problem with the league's decision."

"As long as I'm in a statistical mood, how about this comparison? Harris vs. Golden State: 13.2 points per game, 49.2 percent from the field, 5 assists per game. Jason Kidd vs. New Orleans: 7.3 points per game, 37 percent from the field, 6.3 assists per game."

"The Mavericks were trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter when Kidd was ejected for a frightening takedown of the Hornets’ Jannero Pargo. He left the court to a chorus of boos and groans, and the Mavericks went on to lose, 97-84, falling behind by 3-1 in the series."

"Both certainly have had their moments following their relocation, Kidd providing experienced guidance in Dallas, O'Neal offering proven power in Phoenix. But it's how they got there that would make payback the proper payoff."

"Jason Kidd has his eyes wide-open, and not just when he's leading a fast break and seeing teammates like nobody else can. He sees other stuff, too, like what's written about him. And he hears what is being said."

"In recent days, Jason Kidd has decried suggestions that playoff pressure spawned from past collapses will inevitably consume and doom the Dallas Mavericks this postseason."

"Phenomenal guard Chris Paul will soak up so much attention in the coming days, you may wonder if New Orleans has anyone else on the roster. The Mavericks' regular-season finale gave Paul a chance to possibly peek into his future. Mavericks guard Jason Kidd, a 13-year veteran, notched his 100th career triple-double by racking up 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists Wednesday."

"Jason Kidd said last month that if the Dallas Mavericks make an extended playoff run, he might not play in this summer's Beijing Olympics. On Tuesday, USA basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski didn't wish ill will on Dallas' postseason, but he did make it clear he wants Kidd on his squad."

"No matter how many fourth-quarter leads were frittered away, no matter how many shots he didn't take, Jason Kidd assured us he felt comfortable in his return to the Mavericks. He said everything would be OK. Now, we can believe him."

"Told he had four blocked shots Sunday against the Suns, Jason Kidd pondered the last time he could say that."

"On Saturday, Suns guard Steve Nash shot free throws on the US Airways Center practice court, while Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks finished practice in the arena. Hard to believe all three once played for the Suns at the same time."

"No use fooling himself: This Jason Kidd, inhibited and hesitant, is not playing like that Jason Kidd— instinctive and confident, the nine-time NBA All-Star who Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James calls "one of the greatest point guards to ever play basketball.""

"Jason Kidd had seven assists in the first quarter Sunday against Golden State. That came after he had 15 assists at Denver on Thursday. It would seem to indicate that the Mavericks point guard, who wound up with 14 assists Sunday, is hitting a nice stride going into the final nine games."

"Touchy about Jason Kidd? Who? Avery Johnson? Well, maybe a little. Johnson was asked in his pre-game gathering with the media about Kidd playing better and picking up some of the slack with Dirk Nowitzki sidelined."

"He was always a beast, in the finest sense of the word, and nobody understood it better than Bay Area basketball fans. Jason Kidd was a steamroller of a point guard, equal parts finesse and brute force. He was a full-blown legend before he ever hit the NBA, from his back-to-back state championships at St. Joseph's-Alameda to his unforgettable freshman season at Cal, topped by a stunning NCAA Tournament victory over Duke."

"They were zero for their last eight against opponents with winning records – every try since landing Jason Kidd in a blockbuster trade – and had dropped to No. 7 in the Western Conference at the start of play Saturday. Dallas was just a half-game ahead of Golden State entering critical meetings tonight in Oakland and Wednesday in Texas."

"As far as Richard Jefferson is concerned, the team was distracted by the situation surrounding a certain former teammate. "I'm not going to lie," Jefferson said Thursday, "we were dead men walking with the Jason Kidd situation.""

""We were dead men walking with the Jason Kidd situation," Jefferson said. "When we were losing nine games in a row (in January), that kind of stuff would have never happened if we were of the right mind, the entire team. Now, are we paying for it? Yes.""

"If it's true that sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make, what does that imply about what can go wrong with deals that actually get done? Fans of the Mavericks and Stars know all about failed deals right now."

"For while the talk around the Mavericks' locker room still smacked of hope and adjustments immediately after the game -- there was no prognosis yet on Nowitzki -- the sobering news later about Dirk would appear to seal the fate of this season's team... San Antonio's 88-81 victory came despite the Spurs shooting only 33 percent (30 for 91) for the game and despite the Mavericks leading by 12 midway in the third quarter."

"Jason Kidd turned 35 on Sunday, but after losing Dirk -- and then to the San Antonio Spurs -- he might feel even older. The Dallas Mavericks are struggling, the offense isn't clicking and now Kidd's leadership with new teammates will be put to the test."

"Sitting at his locker, handling wave after wave of "Whys?" and "What the hecks?" late Thursday, JKidd looked a little beaten. Or maybe he is just as confused as everybody else."

"Once again, the Mavericks played an elite team down to the wire. Once again, they came up short. Boston's 94-90 victory dropped the Mavericks to 0-7 against teams with winning records in Jason Kidd, The Sequel. Blame Kidd if you want for not being the closer he was brought in to be. Blame Johnson if you prefer for not giving Kidd the freedom or structure - your choice - to succeed."

"lluminated by strobe flashes, Jason Kidd glistened in his No. 5 Olympic uniform. Granted, a Nike crew member sprayed fake sweat on him between poses. Still, last Tuesday's scene at Ellis Davis Field House in Oak Cliff epitomized the sizzle that Kidd's Feb. 19 acquisition brought to Dallas – and the magnitude of what's ahead."

"Most of Jason Kidd's impact on the Dallas Mavericks has been obvious. Since the Feb. 19 trade, the Mavericks have been a better passing team and scored more points. They've been more fun to watch."

"The Mavericks made a franchise-altering decision when they made the trade, and those are never cut and dried. There is risk. And there will be criticism. The NBA's most experienced coaches know that."

"Saying the Nets play on the "wrong side of the Hudson," Jason Kidd claimed his Jersey club never got its just due, and sounded wistful he never had the chance to save the Knicks and showcase his magical playmaking skills at the Garden."

"Jason Kidd says he is "100%" committed to playing for the national team this summer in Beijing but is reserving the right to change his mind if the Dallas Mavericks advance to the NBA Finals."

"Never mind the same page. At times, Jason Kidd and Josh Howard have looked like characters in separate chapters. The expected instant chemistry between the pass-first future Hall of Fame point guard and the slashing small forward has yet to completely click."

"To play with Jason Kidd is to know that a triple-double is always possible, that a victory is more than likely and that the ball might be an inch from your nose if you look away at the wrong moment."

"Kidd didn't play his prototypical game last night, but he did enough and had enough help to bury the Nets, 111-91, in his first game against his former team since the Feb.19 trade that made him a Maverick. The loss knocked the Nets from eighth place in the East to ninth, a half-game behind the Hawks."

"Kidd doesn't dwell on such weighty matters. All he knows is that the Mavericks need a win tonight at American Airlines Center. The possibility that win will come against New Jersey is secondary."

"In a running game, Kidd can still be effective. Once, I thought he would have been enough to put the Cavs over the top because he and James play so well together in international games. I have since changed my mind."

""My goal is to try to win a championship and that's what Dallas is all about," he said. "They're committed to winning." The Nets, Kidd is convinced, feel otherwise. He said the Nets are stymied by an intolerable inertia and have been for four years. It all started with "the fire sale" of Martin and Kittles, Kidd feels."

""I didn't quit on the team," said Kidd, who will face his old team on Saturday in Dallas. "The ride was over. At the end of the day, I gave everything that I could give to the Nets. There were no more rabbits that I could pull out of the hat. There were no more rabbits that Rod (Thorn) could pull out of a hat. That is as far as they could go. I took them as high as I could.""

"I don't understand how anyone can watch the Dallas Mavericks play their last eight games and think the team was better off before the Jason Kidd trade."

"People get blinded by Jason Kidd's triple-doubles. And when you have 99 of them, plus a slew of other games like Friday's, in which he missed it by one assist, it's understandable. But Kidd's impact on the Mavericks might be better gauged on defense."

"Jason Kidd arrives at Staples Center for the first time with Dallas, trying to get more comfortable with his new team after an unremarkable outing as recently as Thursday against San Antonio."

"If by some strange oversight or lingering melancholy you haven't kept track of what Jason Kidd has done lately, suffice it to say he is playing like he always has, only in a different shirt with a better group of players."

"Avery Johnson knew he was going to open up a jumbo-sized can of criticism when he held out Jason Kidd for the last 34.5 seconds against San Antonio on Thursday. What he hadn't planned on was the accompanying suggestions that he and Kidd are having deeper problems."

"On orders from his coach, Kidd pumped in a season-high 21 points to support a monster night from Dirk Nowitzki as the Mavericks averted a potential letdown game with 115-106 victory over the pesky Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center."

"Instead, Avery went to the wall defending his decision to leave game-changing point guard Jason Kidd -- the Mavs' new closer, if you don't mind a baseball analogy here -- on the bench for the final 34.5 seconds of Thursday night's 97-94 loss at San Antonio. Avery's stubbornness might even be scarier than the decision itself. Being wrong is forgivable. Being unable to admit it is a weakness suggesting a badly bloated ego."