Kidd finally rejoins Mavericks in trade

Jason Kidd is a member of the Dallas Mavericks. Again. Finally.

The long-discussed, once-scuttled and ultimately reconfigured deal to bring Kidd from New Jersey back to the team that drafted him was completed Tuesday. He returned 14 years after the Mavericks made him the No. 2 pick.

“There’s no bigger reward than to have that championship trophy in your hand,” said Kidd, who lost in the NBA Finals twice with the Nets. “That’s why I’m here. Because Dallas has its eye on that prize.”

The eight-player deal sends Kidd, forward Malik Allen, 29, and guard Antoine Wright, 24, to Dallas.

The primary piece headed to New Jersey is point guard Devin Harris, 24. The others are center DeSagana Diop, 26, swingman Maurice Ager, 24, forward Trenton Hassell, 28, and retired forward Keith Van Horn, 32. New Jersey also gets two first-round draft picks and $3 million.

Van Horn and Hassell replace Jerry Stackhouse and Devean George in an original trade proposal. Stackhouse’s presence in the deal was muddled by plans to get him back to Dallas – within the rules, although in a way the league frowned upon – and George used his veto power to block his involvement.

Kidd, who turns 35 on March 23, is expected to make his debut tonight at New Orleans.

“We feel [Kidd’s] skill set can help us finish stronger, finish games better,” Mavericks Coach Avery Johnson said. “Obviously he’s not the guy we’re going to lean on for points, points, points, points. He’s going to help us because at the end of games, he just knows how to win.”

The Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets will play the first outdoor game in modern NBA history Oct. 11 at the 16,000-seat Indian Wells Tennis Garden. It won’t be the first NBA game played outdoors. The Suns defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in a preseason game on Sept. 24, 1972, at a baseball stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.