It’s Friday and the NBA’s stars, including Jason Kidd, are in New Orleans for 2008 All-Star Weekend. Friday afternoon, Kidd met with the media and discussed the possible trade that would send him to the Dallas Mavericks. As of now the deal is currently on hold, since Devean George, a small piece of the puzzle, is using a provision in his contract to block his involvement.
Here’s part of what Kidd said today:
Q: You don’t feel like it was an opportunity or a chance that you could still go?
Jason Kidd: I haven’t talked to anybody. I spent last night with my family and just trying to enjoy the All Star festivities today. That’s it. You know, I’m a Net until I’m told otherwise, that I’m a Mav or something else.
Q: What’s been the toughest thing, Jason, about dealing with some of the uncertainty in your situation?
Jason Kidd: This isn’t the first time I’ve been traded, so I don’t think there’s anything that really bothered me. It’s just we’ll find out here soon if there’s a trade or not. Either way, the game of basketball doesn’t change, it’s just in a different city, maybe.
You must read the rest. It’s .

Dallas Mavericks swingman (or whatever position he sorta plays) Devean George, after messing up the Jason Kidd-to-Mavericks trade by using a contract clause to avoid being traded, started at small forward as the team was at home facing the Portland Trail Blazers. In 33 minutes, George shot 0-of-11, including 0-of-4 from three-point range. And he missed both free throw attempts, finishing with 0 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal.
The Mavericks won 96-76, so it didn’t really matter.
But in honor of Devean’s play InsideHoops.com awards him our newly-created ‘Jackass of the Day’ award.
Note that we now retire the existence of this award for today but reserve the right to revive it in the future should another player be worthy of it.
Now, to be fair to George, it isn’t his fault that he’s involved in such a big transaction. He’d probably have done this even if the deal was him to the Nets for a pair of sneakers. He’s just looking out for himself like every player in the league (and most people on planet Earth) tend to do.
But by doing this and then going out and looking like a complete scrub against the Blazers, he deserved some sort of award.

Last night the Mavericks were set to get Jason Kidd in a trade from the Nets, but Dallas’ Devean George blocked his involvement in the deal, probably just delaying (but possibly killing) the whole thing.
Here is a from George’s post-game interview, explaining what he’s doing and why.

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki will replace Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (dislocated pinkie finger, right hand) in the 2008 NBA Three-Point Shootout, to be held on NBA All-Star Saturday Night, Feb. 16, at New Orleans Arena.
Nowitzki, who won the Three-Point Shootout in 2006 at All-Star in Houston, will compete in the event for the fifth time. He also competed in 2000, 2001, and 2007.
Although he is unable to participate in the Three-Point Shootout with the injury, Bryant will play in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game.
The Three-Point Shootout will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which will also feature the Shooting Stars, Slam Dunk and Skills Challenge. TNT and ESPN Radio’s national coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET from New Orleans Arena. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 17, will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

A trustworthy source called me (InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner), said “the Mavs are extremely close to getting Jason Kidd” and then hung up the phone.
InsideHoops.com is on this and updating live. If anyone reports anything it’ll be on our front page and NBA rumors page.

The Dallas Mavericks recalled forward Nick Fazekas today from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA D-League.
Fazekas (7-0, 235) was originally assigned to Tulsa on November 20.  He played in 28 games for the 66ers starting 24 times and averaged 19.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 55.3% from the field in 30.6 minutes per game.  He was selected to represent the 66ers at the D-League All-Star Game in New Orleans on February 16.
Fazekas, the 34th pick out of Nevada, played in two games for Dallas this season and averaged 1.0 points in 2.5 minutes per game.

The New Jersey Nets are in Toronto tonight to face the Raptors and Marcus Williams is starting at point guard. No Jason Kidd.
This isn’t surprising, with reports that Kidd is soon to be traded to the Dallas Mavericks, but it’s still significant seeing things start to materialize.
And the Nets started slowly, down 9-2 early and then down 21-11 with 4:19 left in the first quarter.

ESPN (Marc Stein) reports: With the New Jersey Nets poised to complete a blockbuster deal to send Jason Kidd back to Dallas on Wednesday night, Mavericks reserve forward Devean George has unexpectedly exercised his right to block the trade, according to NBA front-office sources. Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that the teams verbally agreed to the deal earlier Wednesday and were preparing to submit the trade for league approval when George informed the Mavericks that he wouldn’t consent to being included in the deal, which is his right based on a rare provision in his one-year contract.

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent center Didier “DJ� Ilunga-Mbenga for the remainder of the season, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
Mbenga, a 7-foot, 220 pound native of the Congo, signed a second 10-day contract with the Lakers on February 1st after signing his first 10-day contract with the Lakers on January 21st. In 8 games with the Lakers, Mbenga has averaged 2.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.75 blocks in 7.1 minutes. Earlier in the season, Mbenga signed with the Golden State Warriors November 17 after spending three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks prior to their request for waivers on him October 30. In 16 games with the Warriors prior to his release January 6, Mbenga averaged 1.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.63 blocked shots in 8.1 minutes.
After signing with Dallas as a rookie free agent in 2004, Mbenga, 27, played 79 games over three seasons with the Mavericks, totaling 106 points, 75 rebounds and 35 blocked shots in 374 minutes. In his rookie year of 2004-05, he averaged 4.10 blocks per 48 minutes played while improving to 5.00 blocks per 48 minutes in 2005-06. In 2006-07 he was limited to just 21 games after missing the first 16 games of the year with a left foot tendon strain and suffering a torn right ACL 2/7/07 vs. Memphis.
In 103 career games including two starts, Mbenga is averaging 1.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.50 blocked shots in 5.4 minutes.

Forward Josh Howard received an MRI today which confirmed a lower back contusion.   He is listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game against Portland.
In 48 games this season, Howard is averaging career-highs of 20.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 36.5 minutes.