Has there ever been one trade that totally destroyed an NBA franchise’s championship hopes quite like the Jason Kidd trade for the Mavericks? Sure, Kidd is a solid player but he’s up there in age and to get him, the Mavs traded away Devin Harris. This season, Harris just so happens to be the shoo-in favorite to win the Most Improved Player award in the NBA.

When the Mavs traveled to New Jersey recently, they got a first hand look at Harris and the Nets. By the time the game was over, the Mavs wished they could be anywhere but New Jersey. Harris had scored 41 points and dished out 13 assists as the Nets embarrassed the Mavs. Kidd played solidly but there’s no question these days that Harris is the better player.

Nets fans, to show their holiday spirit, warmly thanked Mavs owner Mark Cuban for allowing Harris to be a part of their team. As you can hear in the video below, the Nets fans are chanting “Thank You, Cuban” in reference to the Kidd for Harris trade.

When Harris was with the Mavs, they made the NBA finals. This season, the Mavs may not even make the playoffs. With that in mind, I’m sure there are plenty of teams in the Western Conference who would like to join Nets fans in thanking Cuban.

Here is the Thank You, Cuban video in reference to Devin Harris:

On Monday, the SEC filed a civil lawsuit against Mark Cuban claiming that Cuban engaged in insider trading. Cuban, the vivacious owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, responded by basically saying the SEC was carrying out a witch hunt. Most legal experts say that the billionaire owner will be forced to pay a fine of around one million dollars.

Although these allegations are serious, I have to side with Cuban. I don’t think he’s capable of making a good trade — which is what insider trading generally means. I mean, this is the same owner who approved a trade for Jason Kidd.

In case you haven’t been watching, Kidd has been just good enough to lead the Mavericks down the cellar. While Kidd hasn’t been horrible, the Mavs miss the play of the young point guard they traded away — Devin Harris.

With only three wins if their first ten games of the season, the Mavericks are going nowhere fast. If this team were owned by a billionaire who knows how to make crafty trades by bending the rules, they wouldn’t be in this predicament.

Mark Cuban is Innocent!

I’m writing this while the Boston Celtics - Detroit Pistons series game 3 is beginning. And I’m wondering what else is going on in the world of the NBA. Just curious to know what the players not involved in these conference finals are up to. I’m sure you were interested to. Here I’ve put together some links that will help your curiosity as well as mine. You’re welcome.

• More drama for the owners and the Seattle Sonics’ fans. (Deadspin)
• Jason Kidd to the Cavaliers? I think NO! (Slam Dunk Central)
• Included because the post mentions Lebron James in a dream. I had a dream about him once. Not G-rated so we will move on. (Epic Carnival)
• Imagine: Kobe in LA, Lebron in NY and D-Wade in Chi-Town. The NBA wouldn’t know what to do with all this happiness. (Sporting News)
• Must tell friend her hometown of Erie, PA gets a D-League team. I’m sure she’ll care. (The Biz of Basketball)
• The anticipation of having the #1 pick. What to do? What to do? (Bulls Home)
• MJ likes cigars. So much, he won’t take one out while playing softball (Busted Coverage)

This weekend, the wildly anticipated NBA playoffs began. And while there were some great games, for me, the lasting image is half-Kobe-half-Shaq lecturing me on fear. Though the commercials have been around for a while now, they’ve received heavy rotation during the playoffs. I actually thought the commercials were pretty neat, if a bit unsettling. I was especially impressed how they managed to sync up the speech from each player to create an odd stereo effect. I was noting this when my friend brought their eyes to my attention. They blink at the same time! Ahhhhhh! Don’t believe me, check for yourself.

Now, some unanswered questions. Firstly, why didn’t you believe me? And were these blinks choreographed? Was there some sort of blinking coach on set, yelling “Blink,” at designated intervals? If these blinks weren’t scripted, then is there some sort of natural blink response during pauses?

The rest of the ads in the series feature more creepy synchronized blinking. Also, be on the look out for the amalgamated word “Bordan” in the LeBron/KG commercial.

This time, no Devean George, and 100% more of retired Keith Van Horn. It’s the same trade as before, just with different accessories. It’s the same Mavericks giving up on the future of Devin Harris for Steve Nash without the shooting ability trade as last time. Awesome plan! At least the Suns went in a fundamentally different direction to try and win the NBA championship.

Yesterday, we all thought that Jason Kidd was heading to the Dallas Mavericks for Devin Harris and Jerry Stackhouse. Also, apparently Devean George was in the deal. Devean George does not want to go to New Jersey. Thusly, the trade is now on hold. Now I don’t know what to believe.

George was supposed to be among the players headed to the New Jersey Nets in the megatrade, but he blocked it by not wanting to give up his “early Bird rights,” a provision earned by being in his second year and on his second contract with the Mavericks.

“We’re not trying to hold things up or be difficult, but just like teams make tough decisions all the time — about cutting players or making trades — they do what’s best for their team, and it’s my obligation to do what’s best for Devean,” his agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Wednesday night.

“We don’t feel like it makes sense at this time. He’s starting right now and things are going pretty good.”

Firstly, I wholeheartedly object to this being called a megatrade, foxsports. Secondly, Isiah Thomas said that if Devean George’s Bird rights were black, they’d just be another contractual right.

Photo credit (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

First Shaq, now Jason Kidd. More GMs continue to make trades for players who were really good eight years ago and are still pretty good but not quite as good as they were eight years ago, which is probably the player that the GMs think they’re getting. Anyways, Jason Kidd is back in Dallas, which probably means that Toni Braxton is going to make a come back and that the Western Conference is still the Spurs to lose, because the Western Conference is always the Spurs to lose. Also, the Nets still are not very good.