Jason Kidd to Re-Sign with Dallas Mavericks

Jason Kidd has decided to stay with the Dallas Mavericks, according to Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Kidd has agreed to a three-year contract, worth more than $25 million. Mark Cuban and Mavericks teammates have said to be very excited to have Kidd back on the roster. They expect him to play a major role with the team. Kidd started his career with the Dallas Mavericks in 1994 and was a big part of the team for three years before being traded. He made his return to the team in 2008, 14 seasons after he made his NBA debut.

The New York Knicks were pretty much the only contenders, other than Dallas, who had a chance to win the Kidd sweepstakes, first offering a 1-year deal to Kidd before upping the ante, offering a 3-year deal worth $18 million. This forced the Mavericks to up their own offer, before Kidd accepted. The Mavericks are forced to pay $2.3 million more a season than the Knicks were going to. Not signing Jason Kidd could be a blessing for the Knicks because it would have forced the Knicks to dent the salary-cap space for the summer of 2010, when the Knicks are expected to go after Cleveland's LeBron James and one other all-star free agent.

Kidd, who is 36 years old and is entering the end of his NBA career, has played 15 seasons in the NBA. This 3-year deal will probably be the last three seasons of his career. Kidd has been with three teams throughout his basketball career. To go with the Dallas Mavericks, Kidd has been on the Phoenix Suns for five seasons before being traded to the New Jersey Nets for seven seasons. Kidd played his best while a member of the Nets, leading them to the playoffs six times and the NBA Finals twice before losing to the Lakers and Spurs.

Kidd's accomplishments include being a 9-time NBA all-star, being elected five times to the All-NBA first team, reach two NBA Finals with the New Jersey Nets and winning two Olympic Gold Medals in 2000 and 2008. Kidd is still looking for his first NBA Championship. Kidd has accomplished many milestones in his NBA career and is sure to be a Hall of Famer after he retires. Kidd is the only player in NBA history to have 15,000 points, 7,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists in his career. Kidd is also second all-time in playoff triple-doubles, and third all-time in regular season triple-doubles and assists.

The deal can not be made official until Wednesday, the first day teams can sign free agents to new contracts for the upcoming season.