LeBron James: Potentially Loving Jerry Stackhouse

ESPN is reporting that the NBA might have reason to scrap Jerry Stackhouse from the Jason Kidd trade (which is on hold anyway thanks to Devean George) due to comments he made indicating that he was staying in Dallas. His confidence in a New Jersey buyout and return to Dallas make it pretty clear that he had conversations with Mark Cuban, which violate league rules.

If the NBA does get involved and pull Stackhouse from the deal, it will force Dallas to either go back to the drawing board and make a worse deal (likely including Keith Van Horn, which would create a luxury tax nightmare) or abandon the trade. Ironically, I believe this would be best for the Mavs, as Devin Harris is undervalued in the present and certainly going to provide more than Kidd going forward. That said, Dallas will probably find a way to cram this thing through, if only because their fans are expecting it.

But if they don't? Suddenly Kidd is back on the market, with the trade deadline looming, and tons of anger in his heart. You think New Jersey would keep him if that happened? They can't! Which means that the Cavs could be right back in the mix. Granted, Cleveland still doesn't have anything that the Nets would want, but if Rod Thorn were desperate enough, he might just go for something terrible, rather than deal with Captain Headache the rest of the season.

And if the Cavs were able to somehow come away with Jason Kidd and turn LeBron's James increasingly fierce frown upside down, they would probably have to find a way to give Jerry Stackhouse some sort of award, or at least a thank you note.