Kidd for Marbury?

[djb]

Looks like it's going down.

Kidd reportedly traded to Nets for Marbury

Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 28, 2001

All-Star playmaker Jason Kidd probably has played his last game for the Suns.

According to several reports out of New York and league sources, the Suns are set to send Kidd to the New Jersey Nets in a blockbuster trade for New Jersey point guard Stephon Marbury. The deal can't be completed and announced until July 18.

Kidd and Marbury will be the principals in the transaction, but other players have to be involved to make the deal work within the complicated NBA salary cap rules.

New Jersey just obtained three players in the first-round of Wednesday's NBA draft, including former Arizona and Moon Valley High star Richard Jefferson. The Nets also reportedly are shopping forward Keith Van Horn.

The July 18 date could mean that one or more free agent players are involved in the transaction, because teams can negotiate with unsigned players beginning Sunday but cannot sign them to contracts until July 18.

Therefore, any sign-and-trade arrangement would have to await the 18th.

Suns President Bryan Colangelo refused to comment on the reports, which first surfaced as rumored talks around the NBA trading deadline in February.

"We don't comment on rumors and speculation," Colangelo said. "It only fuels more rumors and more speculation. That's our policy."

Nets President Rod Thorn was out of the office and could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Kidd, 28, has been a first-team All-NBA selection the last three seasons and is a four-time NBA All-Star. He has spent the last 4 ½ seasons with the Suns after the obtained him in a 1996 trade that sent Michael Finley and others to the Dallas Mavericks.

Since Kidd arrived, the Suns have compiled a 219-142 record and have reached the playoffs in each of his seasons. However, the club has failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs in four of the last five years and has not gotten past the second round.

He averaged 16.9 points last season while shooting 41.1 percent and led the NBA with 9.8 assists a game. He was only the fourth player in league history to lead the NBA in assists three years in a row or more, joining John Stockton, Oscar Robertson and Bob Cousy.

A member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic basketball team that won a gold medal in Sydney, Australia, Kidd was regarded as a model citizen and player during his tenure with the Suns until a domestic incident in January. Kidd was charged with domestic abuse after striking his wife, Joumana and ordered into anger management counseling.

The Kidds reconciled and are expecting their second child in October.

Marbury, 24,. was drafted by Milwaukee in 1996 as the fourth player taken overall. His rights were traded to Minnesota, where he spent 3 ½ turbulent seasons.

Marbury reportedly clashed with teammates Tom Gugliotta - who ironically is now with the Suns - and Kevin Garnett before he was traded to New Jersey in a three-team, nine player deal in March of 1999.

The 6-foot-2 Marbury averaged a career-high 23. 9 points a game last season for New Jersey, along with 7.6 assists while shooting 44.1 percent overall and 32.8 percent from three-point range. He was named to the NBA All-Star team for the first time in his career.

But the Nets have struggled despite Marbury's offensive output. New Jersy is just 69-124 since the club traded for Marbury. He has played on only one winning team, his second season in Minnesota.

After the Nets completed a 26-56 season, Marbury told reporters:

"I'm frustrated, man. I'm tired of losing. If I was the owner, and I could get something good for the team. . . I'd do it."

Source: Kidd reportedly traded to Nets for Marbury

[LonestarROB]

Now why would the Suns do that? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img] Marbury's a really good player but Kidd is arguably the best point guard in the NBA(along with Payton). I guess this helps the Mavs a little because Marbury is a step down from Kidd IMO.

[Fidel]

The suns would be crazy if they do that. Marbury is a good player and also a cancer. Kidd is the best point guard in the NBA.

[MFFL]

The Suns would take a step back if they did this. So I'm all in favor of the trade [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[madape]

What a jaw dropper. Wow. I don't really understand what the Suns are doing. This one really puzzles me.

[MavsFanFinley]

The only thing I can think of is the Suns may be doing an overhaul. Could Marion be out the door next? Maybe they think they can rebuild around Marbury to an extent?? Cause I don't see Marbury and Marion co-existing.

[djb]

Marion should be the cornerstone for the Suns, unless they really want to dip down into lottery hell. The Nets got nowhere with Marbury as their focal point, and I doubt things would be different if the Suns treated him the same. If anyone's going to go, it'll probably be Googs, since he and Marbury didn't get along back in Minnesota. With LAC, Houston, and possibly Golden State rising in the West (should they stay healthy), the Suns would be foolish to trade their most promising star.

[Mavinator]

The Suns have taken the shit out of the pan and thrown it into their fan...

[MavsFanFinley]

You know and I know that Marion should be the cornerstone but do the Suns know that? They could pick up a couple good players for him and/or some picks.

Googs could be out the door too but what can they really get for him?

[Flying Tiger]

I heard that the Suns' mind-set was that Kidd couldn't get them deep in the play-offs so something had to change.

Don't get me wrong...I'm not supporting this so don't shoot the messanger.

[Mavinator]

Marion can already smell the incoming excrement.... If he leaves quickly, he might avoid the splatter that destroyed Keith Van Horn's respectability...

[MavsFanFinley]

(Here's what it's going to take to complete the Kidd for Marbury swap...)

Dudley to Nets to complete Suns-Nets deal

July 16, 2001


PHOENIX (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns will send center Chris Dudley to the New Jersey Nets for center Soumaila Samake and forward Johnny Newman to complete the Jason Kidd-Stephon Marbury deal.

The June 28 swap of star point guards cannot become official until Wednesday because of base compensation and contract issues.

The other players, who the Suns announced Monday, were included to make the salary-cap numbers work since Marbury's salary will be $11 million -- $2.5 million more than Kidd's.

Dudley, a Yale graduate who has spent nine of his 14 NBA seasons with Eastern Conference teams, averaged 1.4 points and 5.5 rebounds in 53 games with the Suns last season.

Samake averaged 1.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 34 games during his rookie season, while Newman played in all 82 Nets games and averaged 10.9 points.

The 38-year-old Newman has a non-guaranteed contract and little chance of staying with Phoenix after training camp.

``We've effectively told his agent and Johnny that we'll not be retaining Johnny due to the tax consequences that it would give this team,'' Suns president Bryan Colangelo said. ``As of now he will not be waived or traded, but there's a possibility that that happens in the future or prior to the start of the season.''