Jason Kidd Spurns Mavericks, Signs 3-Year Deal With Knicks

Jason Kidd To Sign Multi-Year Deal With New York Knicks, According To Report

The exodus from the Dallas Mavericks during the 2012 offseason continues. On Thursday, early reports came out that veteran star Jason Kidd will not be returning to the Mavs for the 2012-13 season, which is a move that comes as a surprise to many.

Marc Stein of ESPN reports that Kidd has decided to leave the Mavs and head east. Stein's sources tell him that Kidd will be taking a multi-year deal with the New York Knicks.

Kidd has been with the Mavericks since 2008 and helped the team win an NBA championship in 2011. Many expected Kidd to wrap up his career with the Mavs, the team that originally drafted him in 1994 and for whom he played his first two NBA seasons.

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Jason Kidd To Sign 3-Year Contract With Dallas Mavericks, According To Report

Jason Kidd was expected to follow Deron Williams wherever he went, but given the Brooklyn Nets' current salary cap situation and the offer he's rumored to have received from the Dallas Mavericks, he can't be blamed for backing out of that plan. According to ESPN's Marc Stein, Kidd will sign a three-year contract with the Mavericks worth $9 million.

That contract will keep Kidd on the books with Dallas until he is age 42. The Mavericks were desperate to sign a point guard after they missed out on both Williams and rumored target Steve Nash, but they're likely to catch some criticism for this deal if it does come to fruition. Even though Kidd has stayed healthy enough to play regularly well into his 30s, his numbers have declined in each of the last two seasons.

Kidd started his NBA career in Dallas, and he's played for the Mavericks for the last five seasons.

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Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks Closing In On Multi-Year Contract, According To Report

The Dallas Mavericks were in the running for free agent point guard Deron Williams, but with Williams' decision to return to the Brooklyn Nets and Jason Terry joining the Boston Celtics, the Mavericks' options appear to be limited at the position. The team also missed out on Steve Nash, who will be heading to the Los Angeles Lakers in a sign-and-trade deal.

The Mavericks might have found a solution to their point guard problem, as they're closing in a multi-year contract with Jason Kidd, according to a report by ESPN.

Jason Kidd appears prepared to end his career where he started it -- with the Dallas Mavericks. The 39-year-old is closing in on a multiyear deal, a source close to the situation said. The source said the deal is not completed, but barring any snags, Kidd will close out his career alongside Dirk Nowitzki. The value of the contract was not known.

Kidd will be entering his 19th season in the NBA and if the deal is signed will very likely close out his NBA career with the team who drafted him originally. Kidd spent the first three seasons of his NBA career with the Mavs before spending time with the Phoenix Suns, then-New Jersey Nets, and then returning to the Mavericks.

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NBA Free Agency: Deron Williams And Jason Kidd To Mavs Or Nets, According To Report

Deron Williams is by far the best unrestricted free agent on the market this offseason, and when free agency starts Sunday it appears he'll have a buddy tagging along: Jason Kidd. According to a report by ESPN's Ric Bucher, the two have spent the weekend golfing together in the Hamptons on Long Island, and plan to be somewhat of a package deal. From Bucher's report:

Mavericks free-agent point guard Jason Kidd will also join whichever team Williams chooses, sources said.

[...]

Another source with business ties to both Kidd and Williams says that the two already have decided to play together for the Nets next season. However, multiple sources say Williams is still torn about his decision.

Kidd, of course, was traded from the Suns to the Nets for Stephon Marbury more than 10 years ago and pretty much single-handedly revived the franchise, carrying them to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances against the Lakers in 2002 and the Spurs in 2003 (they lost each time).

Williams will fetch a max contract, and New York Daily News columnist Mitch Lawrence wrote that a source close to Williams believes he'll go to Brooklyn, who can offer him $26 million more than any team, thanks to a provision in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

For more on Williams and the Nets, check in with Nets Daily. If you want new and updates on Williams' other suitor, check out Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas.

NBA Free Agency: Jason Kidd Wants To Play For Mavericks Or Nets

Jason Kidd brought up the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks when asked where he hopes to land in free agency this offseason. The veteran point guard would like to return to the Mavs, but is very interested in the Nets especially if they manage to re-sign Derrick Williams.

J Kidd - "My days of playing 38 minutes are over. ...me and Deron can play off each other."

— Stefan Bondy (@NYDNInterNets) June 18, 2012

Kidd has no illusions about where he is in his career. He could be very effective coming off the bench for the Nets, or running the floor in partnership with Williams. He is also very familiar and comfortable with the Mavericks having spent the last four seasons in Dallas.

Kidd averaged under 30 minutes per game last season for the first time in NBA career. His numbers dipped to 6.2 points and 5.5 assists per game, both career lows.

For more on Kidd and the Mavericks, check out Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas. For more on the Nets, head over to NetsDaily and SB Nation New York.