Looking back now, Devin Harris says he shouldn’t have been surprised. These were the Dallas Mavericks. Mark Cuban’s Mavericks. Steve Nash wasn’t re-signed. Michael Finley was waived. Nick Van Exel was traded. Even Harris himself landed in Big D because the Mavericks shipped out Antawn Jamison.

Cuban ran one of the best franchises in the NBA, and, unlike many of his fellow owners, he wasn’t afraid to gamble. He had given Harris the security of a five-year, $42 million contract extension, but, really, what did that mean?

“If you look at the history of the Mavericks, cores don’t last very long,” Harris said. “I think we were pretty much the longest core that lasted. It was bound to come to an end at some point.”

Harris didn’t sound the least bit remorseful. Yes, he and the Mavericks had something special, falling just two wins shy of winning the championship in 2006. But his career has flourished since the Mavericks traded him to the New Jersey Nets for Jason Kidd in February. Nets coach Lawrence Frank has given Harris freedom and he looks ready to run with it to the All-Star Game, averaging 25.3 points and 6.4 assists. In consecutive days, he hung 34 points on the Utah Jazz and their Olympic point guard, Deron Williams, then lit up Nash and the Phoenix Suns for a career-high 47.

Thanks largely to Harris’ contributions, the Nets have been the surprise of the season. Even after Tuesday’s letdown loss to the Washington Wizards, they own a 9-8 record in what was widely expected to be a rebuilding campaign. Harris’ former team also is 9-8.

For the Mavericks, this season began as a referendum on Avery Johnson’s coaching. Now it may forever be judged on the play of Harris and Kidd.

“Obviously they got what they wanted and I’m happy here in New Jersey,” Harris says. “We’ll just move forward from here.”

Cuban, like Harris, thinks the trade has the potential to be “win-win” for both teams. And he says he’d still make it now. If that sounds stubborn, it is. The Mavericks gave up a truckload for Kidd, not to mention the additional $11 million in payroll and luxury tax Cuban had to shoulder once the deal was complete. Even then, surrendering the two first-round draft picks seemed overly generous.

The Mavericks’ biggest mistake wasn’t overestimating Kidd. It was overestimating themselves. They traded for Kidd because they thought he was the missing piece to their championship puzzle. “If you have a chance to get Jason Kidd, and you think he’s going to put you over the top,” one scout said, “you have to get him.”

In truth, though, the Mavericks weren’t going to win a title last season with or without Kidd. Not with the Boston Celtics loaded and hungry. And not with Pau Gasol having instantly transformed the Los Angeles Lakers into the Western Conference’s most intimidating power.

(sports.yahoo.com)

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