Lakers: A Net Gain?
 

The possibility of the Los Angeles Lakers acquiring Jason Kidd from the New Jersey Nets has been debated for well over a month in this column. A package built around Kwame Brown, Jordan Farmar and ending contracts was reportedly discussed between the two teams recently but hadn't led to a deal.

Word was the Nets had sent trial balloons across the entire league to gauge Kidd's trade value. Disappointingly they found minimal interest with few teams willing to take on Kidd's contract considering his age (34 in March). Though the Laker offer may have been among the best made, the Nets decided at the time that moving Kidd for pennies on the dollar would be a mistake.

Since then both the Lakers and Nets have had their share of on the court issues. LA has been slammed with one injury after another. With players like Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, Luke Walton and Chris Mihm missing significant time, the Lakers' hot start has been tempered. Though they don't appear in danger of missing out on the playoffs, hopes of home court advantage in the first round have begun to fade. Brown and Walton have not returned from their respective ankle injuries as quickly as hoped. Odom is back on the floor after a sprained knee but is not nearly as effective as he was earlier in the year.

The Nets have lost handful of heartbreaking games on the final possession. The Miami Heat are making their run and the Toronto Raptors seem to have the Atlantic Division in hand. Barring a collapse from the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic or Raptors it would appear the Nets will not make the post-season. They too have their share of injuries, most notably to Nenad Krstic and Richard Jefferson.

In all likelihood, Vince Carter will explore the free agent market this summer. With the possibility of getting nothing in return for an All-Star, the Nets have looked around to the league to see what they could get for him as well. While letting him walk would trim salary, the Nets would not find themselves significantly below the salary cap.

Trading both Kidd and Carter appears to be the only way to get the Nets under the cap as early as this summer.

Teams that also made offers to the Nets for Kidd are said to be the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Heat have since redirected their efforts towards players like Mike Bibby. The Cavaliers do not necessarily have a package that can provide salary cap relief.

It'd be a drastic move that the Nets have thus far resisted. Should they decide it's time to blow up the team, the Lakers may very well be a viable option.

According to Sunday's New York Post, the Nets are in fact "seriously considering accepting the offer."

The Lakers have downplayed any move at the deadline but since they're not in a position to force Jersey's hand, that's probably wise.

As the Post suggests, the Magic might be a willing partner capable of offering Grant Hill and pieces for Carter. Perhaps the rights to Fran Vasquez along with a pick and/or young players might be enough for New Jersey.

As far as the Lakers, word was Brian Cook was off the table in any deal. That may have changed after Cook's outburst in Detroit. Frustrated with lack of playing time, Cook could be a deal sweetener that might interest the Nets.

Since the Lakers can't truly up the offer (since players like Andrew Bynum, Luke Walton, Lamar Odom and even Ronny Turiaf are off limits) the inclusion of Cook and Nets' center Jason Collins in a deal might be enough for Jersey to pull the trigger.

Collins, who has had a disappointing season, would not fit into a rebuilding Nets' plans at $6.1 and $6.2 million a year for the next two years. Collins could provide the Lakers with a suitable body inside considering Kwame Brown is still a month or so away. For the Nets, the goal would be the lottery. They could afford to wait until next season for Brown to come around. If they find they don't need him, he'd be a solid piece of trade bait in the last year of his contract.

A trade of Kwame Brown, Jordan Farmar, Brian Cook, Aaron McKie, Chris Mihm and Shammond Williams for Jason Kidd and Jason Collins would trim $12.2 million off of the Nets' team salary next season. The savings are even more dramatic the next year at $23.0 million. Draft picks are up to the respective teams but don't impact the finances of a trade.

Though the Nets have promising rookie Marcus Williams, a young team needs more than one prospect at point guard. Jordan Farmar may not be exactly what the Nets need, but he may be the best young player they can get for the aging Kidd.

With whatever pieces they can get for Carter, in the lottery and for Kidd, by the time the Nets move to Brooklyn they'd already have a young nucleus in place.

Holding onto Kidd and Carter beyond this year could and probably would delay the rebuilding process. It's always better to sell a little too early than too late and Kidd has already had one micro-fracture surgery.

The Lakers, on the other hand, are watching the momentum they built up early in the season dissolve. Beaten down by injuries, the Lakers have dropped from as high as the third seed down to the sixth. Waiting for health may get them to the second round, but it's clear the Lakers aren't in the same league as the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons.

Whether Kidd makes enough of a difference is something for the Lakers to decide. While the move would give the Nets significant salary cap flexibility, the Lakers would have the opposite problem.

Assuming they retain free agent Luke Walton at roughly $6.0 million, LA would have $76.6 million in guaranteed salary next season committed to just 10 players. Laker owner Dr. Jerry Buss would have to have a lot of faith that the roster as constructed could and would be a championship contender to pay significant luxury taxes.

The threshold is expected to be approximately $70 million next season. Buss would have a hefty tab which could be reason enough the Lakers don't make this deal, assuming the Nets did give the green light.

In theory the following lineup could be very potent:

PG: Jason Kidd/Smush Parker/Sasha Vujacic
SG: Kobe Bryant/Mo Evans
SF: Luke Walton/Vladimir Radmanovic
PF: Lamar Odom/Ronny Turiaf
C: Andrew Bynum/Jason Collins

LA would have four open roster spots to add ancillary pieces at the minimum salary. Could LA look to reunite the old Phoenix Suns back court of Kidd and Penny Hardaway? It's certainly too early to speculate considering any and all trade talk should be treated as "unlikely."

See more at www.hoopsworld.com