The feeling among NBA executives that the Mavericks are the most likely winners in the Jason Kidd trade sweepstakes is even stronger now, according to an ESPN.com report.

Reason: within 24 hours of Kidd saying that it's time for him and the Nets "all to move on" in separate directions, New Jersey and Dallas engaged in advanced trade discussions with Portland on a three-way deal that would land Kidd back with the team that drafted him.

Such a trade would involve at least a dozen players, cash, and future draft picks. In a breakdown of the principles, Portland would receive the Mavericks' Devin Harris and possibly Brandon Bass; New Jersey would obtain draft and financial considerations, Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse, and three prospects from Portland (Travis Outlaw, Channing Frye and Jarrett Jack); the Mavericks would land Kidd.

LeBron James broke his silence regarding the Jason Kidd trade rumors on Wednesday night, telling the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he shouldn't have to tell the Cavaliers' organization to make a play for the All-Star point guard.

"When it gets to a point like that, where you see Jason Kidd wants to be traded, you shouldn't have to go to the front office and tell them to get on it," James told the Plain Dealer on Wednesday. "It's Jason Kidd. It's not someone else asking for a trade. It's Jason Kidd. You shouldn't have to go to anybody in the front office for them to be ready to try to jump on it."

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers are not expected to enter the Jason Kidd sweepstakes as the NBA heads into the trading deadline.

The Nets, who are reportedly shopping their all-star point guard, were in talks with the Lakers about a swap this summer.

Isiah Thomas has finally admitted that the Knicks are no longer being built around Eddy Curry and Zach Randolp, and that he will inquire with New Jersey as to what it will take to land superstar point guard Jason Kidd, the New York Post is reporting.

According to The Post, Eddy Curry could be involved in a potential deal possibly along with Renaldo Balkman, whom the Nets like.

When asked if he wouldn't mind a trade, Curry laughed tellingly, then told The Post, "It's been tough, but I don't want to run from my problems. I had tough moments here but good moments here. Whenever [Thomas] says it's time for me to go, I go."

Asked if he feels Thomas is looking to deal him, Curry said, "Ask him."

While Dallas appear to be the favorites to land Jason Kidd, the Mavericks have been unwilling to give up the player New Jersey wants in return, the New York Daily News is reporting.

The Nets want Josh Howard in a package for Kidd, and with Dallas balking there may be a need for a third team to get involved for Kidd to make a return to the team where it all started.

Jason Kidd, playing in front of his home crowd for the first time since his trade request became public, was greeted to the usual loud cheers when he was introduced before the Nets' game against Charlotte on Tuesday night, ESPN is reporting.

"We tried to make this work. We've found out it doesn't," Kidd told ESPN The Magazine on Monday. "It's time for us all to move on."

Afterwards Kidd was not discussing Monday's comments.

"I've been here for seven years, and I've given a lot to the Nets and New Jersey's given a lot back to me," he said. "For a comment to ruin everything we've had, I didn't think that was going to be the scenario."

Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that New Jersey Nets' point guard Jason Kidd is privately telling his friends that he wants to be traded to the Dallas Mavericks.

Kidd has a total FIC of 709 this season and has posted an FIC per 40 minutes of 17.7 for New Jersey.

The Mavericks' point guard Devin Harris, who is currently injured, has an FIC total of 376 and FIC per 40 minutes of 12.7 in 2007-08.

LeBron James and Jason Kidd developed their friendship over the summer while playing for Team USA, and with Jason Kidd confirming to ESPN that he has requested out of New Jersey, the generation-spanning stars could become teammates.

Brian Windhorst of the Beacon-Journal reported on Tuesday that front-office sources indicated the Cavaliers have contacted the Nets in order to learn what it will take in order to complete a trade for Kidd.  

Still playing brilliant basketball, Kidd is currently 13th in season FIC, the system used by RealGM to rank players.

According to Windhorst's report, the Lakers, Nuggets, and Mavericks are also interested in trading for Kidd.

Kidd was reportedly nearly dealt to the Lakers last February, but the club decided not to part with Andrew Bynum.

Jason Kidd has confirmed that his agent Jeff Schwartz has talked to Nets' management about moving him by the Feb. 21 trade deadline, ESPN's Ric Bucher is reporting.

"Sometimes, when you ride a wave, you get to the end and that's all there is," Kidd said Monday. "That's where we are."

"It used to be if I got a triple-double, that was an automatic win," he added. "That's just not the case now. We tried to make this work. We've found out it doesn't. It's time for us all to move on."

While Kidd wants to move to a contender, he also knows that there are no guarantees. Bucher writes that Dallas and Denver have already reached out to the next in the past week about Kidd.

Could the Nuggets be trying to acquire Nets' point guard Jason Kidd?

According to the Rocky Mountain News, who cites an article on ESPN, an unnamed source says the Nuggets have expressed interest in Kidd, who said his agent Jeff Schwartz has had continued conversations with the Nets about possibly dealing him by the Feb. 21 trade deadline.