It's only a matter of time before the debate begins again.
With the Mavericks down 3-1 to the Spurs and looking winded and old, the question is this: was the Jason Kidd - Devin Harris trade lopsided...and which way.
Last year, Harris made the All-Star team, and Nets fans serenaded Mark Cuban with "Thank You, Cuban" during a 41-point Harris outburst vs. his old team...and Kidd. This year, the roles were reversed. Harris was plagued by injuries, pummeled by fans and the Nets had one of the worst seasons in NBA history. Kidd on the other hand used his guile to lead the Mavs to 55 wins. Now, though, he and Dallas are suffering through what so far has been a frustrating first round.
A look at team goals at the time of the trade has to be part of the debate. Cuban thought Kidd could lead his team back to the Finals, but it looks like they'll be exiting after Round 1 for the second time in three years. Rod Thorn, on the other hand, wanted to get younger, pick up cap space and dump a player whose off-court shenanigans had landed him on the front page of tabloids far too often. Beyond Harris, the Nets were able to use pieces of the trade to get Courtney Lee (via Ryan Anderson) and Keyon Dooling (via a trade exception and $3 million in cash) and they still have the Mavs pick in this year's draft.
- Spurs playing like anything but 7th seed against Mavs - Art Garcia - NBA.com
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Mavericks Facing Big Uphill Climb - Marc Stein - ESPN