Author Topic: Jason Kidd Signs with New Jersey (Read 134 times)

Perfection · « **on:** July 11, 2003, 11:04:10 AM »

Jason Kidd just signed with the Nets and help the Nets sign Morning. And Byron Scott is still going to be the coach.

Perfection · « **Reply #1 on:** July 11, 2003, 11:19:01 AM »

Friday, July 11

With Mourning on the way, Kidd will stay

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ESPN.com news services

Free-agent center Alonzo Mourning plans to sign with the New Jersey Nets, apparently paving the way for Jason Kidd to re-sign in New Jersey, a league source who spoke with Mourning's agent Thursday night told Insider's Chad Ford.

Mourning could announce as early as today that he'll sign a 4-year, $20 million contract with the Nets. He can't officially sign with the Nets until next Wednesday.

Mourning's agent told the Insider source that Mourning agreed to sign with the Nets after receiving assurances that Kidd also will re-sign. Kidd's agent, Jeff Schwartz, didn't return a phone call Friday morning seeking comment.

Later on Friday, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban confirmed Zo's move.

"We found out that Zo is going to NJ,'' Cuban wrote in an e-mail. "Why? A variety of reasons I can't go into, but foremost is that he felt he had less competition in the East.''

The Mavericks had been interested in signing the former All-Star, but now will have to look elsewhere to fill their void in the middle.

Cuban deferred further comment to Mourning and his agent. A Nets spokesman would not confirm the deal and a call to Mourning's agent, Jeffrey Wechsler, was not immediately returned.

Mourning was Dallas' most-coveted free agent. Cuban was in Miami the first day the two could meet to show how much he wanted him as his starting center. Although the Mavericks could only offer the midlevel exception, they sweetened the deal by making it for as many as four years.

The Mavs also were interested in Karl Malone, but he's headed to the Los Angeles Lakers, where Gary Payton also will be signing. Dallas also was going to bring in Jermaine O'Neal for a visit, but he canceled his trip upon deciding to stay with the Indiana Pacers.

Mourning will be in Miami on Friday night at Zo's Summer Groove, his charity basketball game and dinner.

Mourning's move also ends weeks of speculation surrounding Kidd's future in New Jersey. After heavy courting from the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, Kidd will return for his third season with the Nets.

News reports swirled on Thursday that Kidd demanded that the Nets fire coach Byron Scott as a means of preventing Kidd's free-agent defection to the Spurs.

Both sides dismissed those claims, and Kidd and his wife, Journana, told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that the request was never made during a meeting with Kidd's agent, team owners and president Rod Thorn, the Nets president.

Mourning, 33, was diagnosed in October 2000 with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a kidney disease that can eventually require a transplant. He played in just the final 13 games for the Heat in 2000-01, but appeared in 75 games the following season.

For his career, Mourning has averaged 20.3 points and 9.80 rebounds per game, but in the last two seasons he has played, his numbers have dropped off, to 13.6 and 7.80 in his abbreviated '00-01 season and 15.7 and 8.40 in '01-02.

Last September, shortly before training camp, Mourning was advised by doctors to skip the 2002-03 season because test results indicated his condition had worsened.

He has since received medical clearance for 2003-04.

Mourning will be reunited with former Georgetown teammate Dikembe Mutombo. The Nets, who won the East the past two seasons, are looking for more depth inside to compete with the top teams from the West.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.