In order to afford the maximum contract that free-agent Kenyon Martin will demand, Nets management has begun to explore the possibility of trading away Jason Kidd and his large contract.
The option came from the team?s brainstorming on the impending Martin free agency and is still considered unlikely. Nonetheless, the Nets are at least contemplating the possibility of dealing away the premier point guard and may be testing the market to determine his trade value.
"We are not shopping anybody around," Nets CEO Rod Thorn. "We talk about guys all the time. People talk to us. So to say we are shopping him or Kenyon or anybody else is not true."
Several league sources say incoming owner Bruce Ratner intends to pare down much of the team?s sizable payroll so where the Martin signing fits in to all of this remains uncertain.
There is a rumor that the Nets may look to do a sign-and-trade of Martin to Denver for Nene.