Jason Kidd has the Dallas Mavericks playing some of their best basketball of the season. (AP Images)

Play It Again, Kidd

It was the trade that brought everything full circle.

Dec. 17, 1996. If you don't recognize the date, don't worry. It was the last time Jason Kidd played as a Dallas Maverick at Reunion Arena. Not exactly a watershed moment or anything.

Few thought it would ever happen again. Fewer thought it would happen this season.

But that's exactly what an underachieving team and irate owner will get you. While the Mavericks watched the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns arm up in the Western Conference power struggle, they slyly went about turning back the clock.

Jason Kidd, back in Dallas? The circle was complete.

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Jason Kidd wasn't wearing the dark uniform tonight. (AP Images)

The last time Jason Kidd played a home game in Dallas, the year was 1996. At the time, he was still a fresh-faced Maverick after being drafted No. 2 overall in the 1994 NBA Draft. The team also played at the old Reunion Arena; today, it's the American Airlines Center. Oh, and the other Big D sports superstar, Cowboys QB Tony Romo, was barely in high school.

Tonight, Kidd and the Mavs hosted the Chicago Bulls and, not surprisingly, there was a bit of excitement among the faithful.

“I would hope it’s rowdy, loud and proud,” coach Avery Johnson said before the game. “I think it’s great. He’s excited.”

Kidd started out well with a couple early assists – including one on a spin and dish to Dirk Nowitzki – and led the Mavs to a 102-94 win over the Bulls. Kidd finished with 11 points, eight assists and nine boards while Nowitzki led all scorers with 29.

The Bulls did do one thing right for their backers: they covered the 10-point spread. Get all the NBA betting results from a busy night in the NBA.

Jason Kidd delivers a ball past Mike Conley Jr. Friday night. (AP Images)

Dirk Nowitzki loved having Steve Nash on his team. He may like Jason Kidd just as much.

In his second game with the Mavericks since being traded from New Jersey, Kidd had 15 assists and stoked an attack that shot 50 percent from the floor in a 98-83 demolition of the Memphis Grizzlies Friday night.

Nowitzki was 9-for-10 from the floor, thanks to Kidd’s passing skills, and finished with a game-high 27 points to lead Dallas on the road. Last year’s NBA MVP could be in for a big finish to the season because he will be playing with an elite point guard, a luxury he hasn’t enjoyed since Nash left for Phoenix.

The Mavericks covered the point spread, which favored them by 9.5, and also dolled out a season-high 32 assists on the night.

In other NBA action on Friday:

Houston 100, New Orleans 80: The winning streak hit 11 for the Rockets, who got 34 points from Tracy McGrady and 28 from Yao Ming. Houston backers also benefited from getting their team as an underdog on the road. New Orleans was favored by four but was blown out by the red-hot Rockets. Houston led 51-35 at the half and dominated behind their dynamic duo. Yao added 14 rebounds.

Cleveland 90, Washington 89: LeBron James had 33 points and 15 assists as the Cavaliers held on for a road win. James hit two free throws with 7.8 seconds to play to seal the win. Cleveland played with only eight players because Ben Wallace and the others who were added in a trade on Thursday had yet to arrive. Washington beat the four-point spread.

Detroit 127, Milwaukee 100: Chauncey Billups scored 21 points and added 12 assists to power the Pistons at home, where they were favored by 13.

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Jason Kidd is officially a member of the Dallas Mavericks. (AP Images)

Jason Kidd was right when he said at the All-Star Game he thought he'd end up in Dallas.

"It's done," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told ESPN.com via e-mail today. "J-Kidd is a Mav."

The Mavs and Nets agreed on a Kidd swap to Dallas along with Malik Allen for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, Keith Van Horn, $3 million and two first-round picks.

Kidd is averaging 11.3 points, 10.4 assists (third in the league) and 8.1 rebounds this season and will make the Mavs a popular pick at 5/1 odds to win an NBA title.

Could Jason Kidd finally be on his way to Dallas? (AP Images)

Now possibly the most drawn-out transaction in the history of the National Basketball Association, the Jason Kidd-to-Dallas deal looks like it might be nearing a completion.

According to ESPN NBA analyst Mark Stein, the key to the deal might be a guy who doesn't even play in the Association anymore – former Maverick and New Jersey Net Keith Van Horn.

Stein reports that Van Horn – who will receive an estimated $4.3 million for the rest of the season for doing absolutely nothing – is the financial flex that will allow the deal to make sense for both clubs. KVH hasn't played basketball since the 2006 NBA Finals, so there are some stipulations with regards to his role in the transaction.

Namely, he can't just be a part of the deal in name only.

Van Horn will have to pass a physical and make himself available to actually play for New Jersey (should the mood so strike the Nets to actually activate him). Simply put, he can't just sit home and collect a paycheque without actually pretending to be interested in playing basketball again. Aaah, the NBA.

There is no specific timeline on the deal, although sources close to the situation believe it will be finalized by the middle to end of this week.

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The trade that would land the Dallas Mavericks Jason Kidd is looking less and less likely. (AP Images)

Another snag in the Jason Kidd trade may have happened Thursday night. As Jerry Stackhouse has killed his chances of being in the deal by opening his mouth.

The Mavericks guard told reporters that after being traded to the Nets he planned to "get 30 days to rest, then I'll be right back." Insinuating that the Mavs only made the trade knowing the Nets would cut him and let him come back to Dallas.

"The league has taken Stackhouse out of the deal," a source said to ESPN.com. "They said, 'He can be in the trade, but he can't go back to Dallas after that."'

Mavericks forward Devean George doesn't seem to be backing off his plan to waive any trade from Dallas either.

"Anything is possible, but as of now, it's not something Devean's considering," George's agent Mark Bartelstein said.

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Jason Kidd's move to Dallas had hit a snag. And that snag is named Devean George. (AP Images)

Devean George is best known for being the first NBA player to come from a Division III school. Now he's on the verge of being known for something much more interesting.

After every news outlet on earth reported that the Jason Kidd-to-Dallas trade was all but done, George made a left turn in the right-hand lane and put the kaibosh on the whole deal.

The reason George is balking at the deal is purely financial. He has a rare clause in his contract where he can prevent movement. Furthermore, he will lose his early Larry Bird rights if traded, meaning he could lose big salary on his next deal. George is a unrestricted free agent at season's end.

George actually played in Wednesday's game and was harassed by Dallas fans who'd heard about him holding up the deal. Several fans shouted for him to allow the trade to go through, shouts that George claimed not to hear.

Kidd, meanwhile, sat out New Jersey's blowout loss to Toronto with the understanding that his move to Dallas will be imminent. The Nets are in a world of hurt right now, as they looked completely lost without their leader…yet there is no telling how they'll react should Kidd return. He's expressed numerous times that he wants out of the swamp and this move might've been seen as him bailing on the team.

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Jason Kidd appears to be finally out of New Jersey and on to Dallas. (AP Images)

The deal Jason Kidd has been waiting for appears to have finally gone through.

According to ESPN.com the New Jersey Nets will trade Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks.

Although sources say both teams are still finalizing the deal it appears Kidd will go to Dallas for Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, DeSagana Diop, Devin George and guard Maurice Ager.

This was one of Kidd's perefered destinations when he asked the New Jersey Nets for a trade at the beginning of the season. He went public with his demand about two weeks ago.

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