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January 30, 2008
Nets to Stop Kidd-ing Around?
Remember how the Nets pledged to their current fan base that they would stay competitive in New Jersey while waiting for their move to Brooklyn? Looks like that pledge was about as solid as Bruce Ratner's promise of 10,000 new Atlantic Yards jobs.
With the 19-26 Nets going nowhere fast (they did manage to snap their nine-game losing streak last night), their clearly disgruntled star point guard, Jason Kidd, will almost certainly be an ex-Net by the February 22nd NBA trading deadline.
There was a time when Jason Kidd was hopeful of winning a championship in the Meadowlands (the Nets went to the NBA finals in 2002 and 2003). Then Bruce happened, and the bad karma of pretending that the Atlantic Yards deal was about bringing professional sports back to Brooklyn started working its magic. While the Nets haven't yet missed the playoffs in the Ratner years, they haven't been real contenders since the 2003-2004 season. And they appear headed for irrelevance, even if they manage to squeak into the post-season, with or without Kidd.
The combination of bad basketball and lame-duck status at the Izod Center does not bode well for a team that has always struggled to draw crowds. Even Brett Yormark is going to have a tough time selling tickets, and that will only add to the financial pressure that's having a real effect on The Brucester's Atlantic Yards megaproject.
FoxSports.com, Kidd forcing Nets' hand on floor
You expect a bonehead decision like that from a rookie or a journeyman reject, certainly not from a guy reputed to be among the five smartest point guards of all time.
That play said it all to me. Either Kidd was trying to show up Frank or he was making it obvious to owner Bruce Ratner and team president Rod Thorn they're wasting precious time and wins.
ESPN.com, Hit Or Miss: Kidd Deal Could Be Last-Second Deadline Shot
Another source, this one close to Nets owner Bruce Ratner, described him as increasingly frustrated and disappointed with the state of the franchise, whose move to Brooklyn has now been put off until 2010-11 while Ratner continues to wait for the first shovel to go into the ground at the team's future home.
Once upon a time, the Nets expected to make that move to Brooklyn with Kidd as the centerpiece of the roster, though aging.
Gothamist.com, No Kidding: Nets, Guard Near End of Road
Nevertheless, this Nets team has plateaued. In fact, it's on its way down. Carter probably isn't going to win a championship with the Nets, but at least he brings excitement and credibility to a team trying to make its way to Brooklyn.
...To make matters worse for the Nets, they may have some issues moving to Brooklyn. The poor financial market coupled with ongoing lawsuits, could be an obstacle preventing Forest City Ratner from securing financing for Atlantic Yards and new Nets arena.
Posted by eric at January 30, 2008 10:21 AM