Jason Kidd and the Nets are in full damage control mode. Their star point guard didn’t show up for the game, and rumors and reports are swirling about whether he had permission to miss the game or not.
Who to the Nets think they are, the Knicks? Is Kidd trying to kiss New Jersey good-bye?
Kidd went on WFAN today to deny reports that he concocted a migraine headache excuse to miss the game against the Knicks last night. Kidd reportedly wasn’t ill, but rather sat out the game to send a message to Nets management that he is upset with the direction of the team and its decision to turn down his request for a contract extension.
“I was sick last night,” Kidd said. “I can’t believe that we’re having this conversation because I was sick.”
Kidd, 34, said he spoke with trainer Tim Walsh after the game in Cleveland Tuesday night and told him he wasn’t feeling well. He checked in with Walsh and coach Lawrence Frank again yesterday afternoon and told them, “I don’t think I can help.”
“I would never disrespect the game, first of all, by not playing, because the game has been so good to me, and my teammates, too,” Kidd said. “If I can help my teammates I would go out there and put the uniform on.”
Kidd said Nets president Rod Thorn and his agent, Jeff Schwartz, have been discussing a contract extension. Some reports have placed Kidd’s request at $24 million for an additional season on top of the two years he has left; other indications point to the number being half that.
Either way, Kidd said the team has not said no yet and that there is no deadline for the extension to be granted.
“Everybody has their version of them saying no and that I’ve asked for a lot of money,” Kidd said. “It’s just a business, and that’s what I’ve asked Rod and Jeff to do is to work out and extension and that’s what they’re hopefully going to come to.
“I would love to finish my career as a Net,” he said. “If there was a time for me to be upset, it would have been last year when they dangled me out there to be traded.”
Something doesn’t add up here. Maybe all of this has to do with Kidd’s comments before a recent West Coast trip when he expressed his frustrations about another slow start. And when it comes to Kidd’s angry reaction to interpretations of his comments to Sports Illustrated that he’d like to play with LeBron James, maybe the truth hurts.
Maybe he’s still angry after being dangled at the trading deadline last season. Kidd reportedly would still like to be traded to either Dallas, Cleveland, or the Lakers.
The Nets were off today, so we’ll have more on the Kidd saga tomorrow before they face the Rockets. No word yet on whether Kidd’s migraine will bee cleared up by then.