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On February 19, 2008, the Dallas Mavericks pulled the trigger on a trade that sent up-and-coming point guard Devin Harris, Keith Van Horn, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, and DeSagana Diop (first round draft picks in 2008 and 2010), and $3 million to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for veteran point guard Jason Kidd, Antoine Wright, and Malik Allen.
The Mavericks made the trade in what seemed like a last-ditch effort to win a championship by adding Kidd to the core of Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard.
The Nets made the deal as a part of the rebuilding process, turning the team over to the then-25-year-old Harris in favor of the then-34-year-old Kidd.
Dallas finally made the deal after weeks of deliberation and rumors, even after the first iteration of the trade was nixed when Mavericks' forward Devean George blocked it, saying he wanted to stay in Dallas.
The Mavs found a way to make the trade happen without involving George, and the rest is history.
The Mavericks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by New Orleans that season, and were knocked off in the second round this past season by Denver.
Kidd was solid, but nothing spectacular, averaging nine points and nine assists this past season.
On the other side of the coin, Harris enjoyed a breakout season in his first full campaign for New Jersey, averaging 21 points and seven assists per game, including his first selection to the All-Star game.
When the free agency signing period begins Wednesday, Kidd is expected to re-sign with Dallas with a reported three year contract worth around $25 million.
On the bright side, Dallas will only be paying Kidd $8 million, as opposed to the whopping $20 million they had to shell out to him last season.
On the down side, barring a Pau Gasol-like trade in their favor, the Mavs are hardly in a position to realistically compete for a championship.
While the acquisitions of players like Marcin Gortat and possibly Shawn Marion have the chance to make Dallas better, it's likely that they would still be on the outside looking in on teams like the Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, Magic, and Cavaliers in terms of legitimate championship contenders.
It's been said that, had they let Kidd sign elsewhere this summer, owner Mark Cuban would have been left with nothing to show for losing out on Harris.
In my opinion, the re-signing of Kidd is just setting the franchise back another three years.
One thing Cuban absolutely cannot be accused of is not being persistent.
Since Dallas blew a 2-0 lead in the 2006 Finals to lose to Miami, there have been rumors and opinions every offseason that Dallas should try and split up the nucleus of the roster and go with a different approach.
Instead of trying to rebuild by moving established talent like Nowitzki and Howard for younger players, the Mavs have changed head coaches (Avery Johnson to Rick Carlisle) and traded away their one young, emerging talent (Harris) in order to get an older player (Kidd).
Fortunately for Dallas, the Kidd contract doesn't at all take them out of the shopping spree that next summer is shaping up to be.
One contract worth $8 million a year isn't debilitating, especially with high priced players like Nowitzki, Howard, Erick Dampier, and Jerry Stackhouse coming off the books after next season.
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