OAKLAND – When Jason Kidd arrived on the Nets landscape in 2001, he transformed a franchise. He was that good.
But if you ask him, this year he has been even better.
“I wasn’t rebounding the ball like I am,” Kidd said. “I might have been scoring a little bit more, but each team is different in what they need. There might be a little more scoring [recently], but I think for 41 games this might be my best stretch.”
Ever. Even better than the first year in Jersey – to a degree.
“The first year will always be special because we changed the whole image of the franchise,” Kidd said.
In the 12 games before last night, Kidd shot 48.7 percent, including 43.8 percent from 3-point range. He averaged 17.8 points, 8.8 assists, 8.5 rebounds and 2.17 steals.
“He’s been as good, if not better, than any time within the last three years,” team president Rod Thorn said. “He’s been unbelievable. To do what he does, to play 38 minutes a game and be 33 years old, it’s amazing.”
Recently, there were stories about the Nets looking to trade Kidd. Not so.
“About a month ago I spoke to most of the teams in the league and I said, ‘Listen, we’ll trade anybody,’ ” Thorn said. “That’s where that came from. I was trying to ascertain what value our players have. I do it every year.”
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Hassan Adams got his second straight start for Richard Jefferson after playing 15 seconds in the previous five games. . . . League sources squashed a rumor claiming a proposed three-way deal with Nets, Grizzlies and Clippers containing, among others, Gasol, Vince Carter, Shaun Livingston and Corey Maggette. . . . Mikki Moore, coming off a career-high 22-point game, was bugged by a nasty sinus infection. . . . Carter is expected to be named All-Star starter tonight.