<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lavalamp @ Mar 31 2008, 11:08 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Claud @ Mar 31 2008, 11:03 PM)
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Huh?
Well if Devin Harris leads the Nets to the Finals (not behind Carter though), then I will agree that Devin is currently better than Kidd assuming they don't lose to the Mavs in the Finals.
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You call this analysis?
Kidd is either done or close to being done. One more year, two at the most. He aint going back to the Finals. Harris is more likely to go to the Finals. He was there two years ago. Number of Finals victories for Kidd: 2. Number of Finals victories for Harris: 2.
Harris has set or tied 11 career highs since joining the Nets, in minutes, points, assists, rebounds, offensive rebounds, field goals, three pointers, steals, blocks and field goals and three pointers attempted. He took the Nets moribund offense and turned it to a team capable of scoring 125 points a game. He was the youngest point guard in recent memory to take a team to the NBA Finals and was the point guard on a team that won 67 games. He just turned 25. He will improve...a lot.
Diop ain't signing? Really? Assume that he wants a four-year contract averaging $4.5 million, $18 million, next season. Except for the Nets and the three or four teams under the cap--the powerhouse Bobcats, Sonics, and Grizzlies for certain--any team wanting to sign him for that money will need to dip into their MLE to do it. Number of teams that signed players to MLE contracts worth as much or more than that $18 million: Zero. Sacramento came close, guaranteeing Mikki Moore $13.5 million on a $17.4 million contract. Why? because signing players to contracts that big almost certainly guarantees a luxury tax payment. Yeh, the Mavs could try to resign him. Will they? Maybe. And dont forget where Diop lives in the off-season? Dakar, Senegal? No. Dallas, Texas? No. Cherry Hill, NJ? Ding, Ding, Ding, we have a winner.
As for the picks, I like the idea of having UNPROTECTED Mavs picks in 2009 and 2011, when Kidd will be 38, Dirk will be 33, Terry will be 35, Dampier will be 36, etc. And most of thsoe guys will still be under contract by then.