Posts tagged ‘Rod Thorn’

ESPN’s NBA Senior Writer Chris Broussard reports on this morning’s NBA 411 segment during the Mike and Mike in the Morning simulcast on ESPN2 that Lawrence Frank is on the hot seat and could lose his job if the Nets don’t earn a playoff berth. Broussard mentions how both Bruce Ratner and Rod Thorn like Lawrence Frank, but says winning has become a priority and will take precedent over personal feelings.

Broussard first reported that Larry Brown is interested in returning to coaching, at almost any cost, before his segue way into the Frank story, though he made sure to mention that Brown would not fit in New Jersey. One look at the Nets record, compared to the pre-season expectations, and Frank on the hot seat does not come as a shock. Fans have lit up message boards calling for the coach’s head during this dysfunctional, disappointing season, though this marks the first public report from sources close to Ratner and Thorn that a change may be on the horizon.

Ironically, this report comes a day after possibly the most disappointing loss to date this season, a 16-point defeat to Chicago, with a potentially season defining game against Atlanta tonight. The rumor will not serve as any distraction, only a reminder of how far the Nets are from where they expected to be.

If Frank goes, who should be next in line?

Mark Cuban and Rod Thorn performed the Heimlich maneuver on the Jason Kidd trade during All-Star weekend. After applying pressure to the sternum area of a choking Jason Kidd, the trade demons coughed out Keith Van Horn and Trenton Hassell, allowing Jason Kidd to breathe easy again. Still pending league approval, no given in this situation, the Nets ship Kidd and Malik Allen to Dallas for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Mauric Ager, Keith Van Horn, two first round draft picks, and cash. Subsequently the Mavs send a second round draft pick to Jersey for Antoine Wright and a bottle of Advil – just in case that Kidd migraine problem pops up.

Again, nothing is official until its official. The teams tentatively scheduled a conference call to obtain league approval for Monday, with the use of Keith Van Horn, unofficially retired for two seasons and not expected to play, the only potential obstacle. This trade has had it all – weeks of anticipation after a public trade request, the Bird Exception, the Gary Payton rule, a semi-retired player about to get a few million dollars to show up for a physical. What’s next?

Both Dallas and New Jersey gave a little to solve the Devean George and Stackhouse problems from the original trade, which I thought were too much to overcome to get this trade done in under a week. Dallas takes a luxury tax hit by signing Van Horn to replace George in the trade, while the Nets assume more long-term salary in Hassell, who will earn double Stackhouse’s salary in 2009-2010.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized this trade had to happen. It passed the point of no return. Nowitzki’s comments about George, the fan reaction, Diop and Harris questioning if Dallas wanted them put the Dallas chemistry at risk, and the Nets faced an even more disgruntled Kidd, who booked his ticket out of town, magnifying an already toxic situation. Too much at stake for both teams to let a few million dollars here or there, a journeyman’s bonehead decision, and a veteran’s loose lips, to hold things up. Now, if the league office pulls the plug on the Van Horn loophole that will certainly end this trade without help from a third party.

Expect Kidd to rediscover his old self for Dallas, but the rejuvenated point guard may not be enough to overcome defensive deficiencies and lack of frontcourt depth to compete with the now ultra-competitive Western Conference. The trade at least puts them back in the discussion. Similar to Phoenix, the Kidd move is high risk, high reward. Dallas can go on to win the NBA crown this season, or they can give Kidd his extension, flop in the playoffs yet again, then find themselves saddled with a bad contract in salary cap hell two years from now. Replacing Kidd with Harris makes Dallas the oldest team in the NBA, a sure sign of win now.

Over the next few podcasts, and on the blogs, we’ll analyze why Harris is not a major downgrade from the 2007-2008 version of Jason Kidd. Ten years younger, signed through 2013 for significantly less money, a better shooter (not passer), arguably a better defender – all positives. Harris will never approach Kidd in his prime, but if he plays hard every night, fits in with the offense, continues to improve at the same curve he has since his rookie season, New Jersey still makes the playoffs in the tremendously watered-down Eastern Conference. More importantly, three years from now and five years from the Nets are in better shape after this trade.

Ironic Kidd’s last soiree as a Net came in the All-Star game, playfully chatting with future teammate Dirk Nowitzki on the court, while his real teammates sat thousands of miles away. Symbolic of how he played this season – more interested in playing with other teams stars, alienating the guys in his own locker room. All the trade talk must have confused Kidd, during his post game comments he was quoted as saying Jersey is great, has wonderful fans, and he wishes them the best of luck. Too bad he didn’t feel that way earlier this season. Hey, at least as Kidd mentioned, the golf is great.