It?s been roughly a year since the Philadelphia 76ers shipped future Hall of Fame point guard Allen Iverson out of the Atlantic Division and into the Western Conference. Since then, the Atlantic has undergone a vast transformation, with the resurgence of the Celtics, the rising respect for the Raptors and the up-and-down laughingstock known as the Knicks.

Now, as we close the books on 2007, the division may lose yet another future Hall of Fame guard. Nets? point guard Jason Kidd ?called in sick? on Wednesday night and sat out the team?s 100-93 loss to the Knicks. New Jersey Coach Lawrence Frank admitted that Kidd called him several hours before the game complaining of a migraine, but the move is believed to essentially be a strike. In other words, a message to the Nets: extend my contract or trade me.

It doesn?t seem like something Kidd would do, for all intents and purposes quitting on his teammates in order to get what he truly desires, but these days nothing seems out of the question.

New Jersey recently left him hanging on a contract extension, something he pushed for, but the team failed to deliver. The time frame for Kidd?s extension request isn?t public knowledge, but it appears to have been over last weeks when new 76ers? GM Ed Stefanski was still making decisions with the Nets. There?s an ever-so-slight possibility that the Nets were aware such a move could be eminent, and it kept Kidd?s extension from being finalized, but chances are the ball was dropped for other reasons.

The question on many people?s minds this week has been, ?How could the Nets not extend the contract of a player of Kidd?s caliber??

I have to admit that it was somewhat surprising to hear that Kidd wanted to remain in New Jersey, especially considering the wealth of competition the Nets now face in the Eastern Conference. After several years of standing alongside the Pistons as the conference?s only consistent powers, they now have the Cavaliers, Celtics, Magic, and before this season?s early slip-up, the Bulls to worry about.

Kidd was nearly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers last season, in an effort by Mitch Kupchak to appease Kobe Bryant, but the deal fell through in the eleventh hour. Kidd, no worse for the wear, proceeded to play with the same intensity and professionalism we?ve come to expect from the perennial all-star. Now it seems as though the tri-state area has two disgruntled point guards, with the other a certain Marbury who calls Madison Square Garden home.

Ironically Nets? GM Rod Thorn swapped Stephon Marbury, then with New Jersey, for Kidd in a July 2001 deal with the Phoenix Suns, where Kidd was playing at the time. Six years later the deal looks more lopsided than ever-before, but Thorn may be forced to cash in his chips while he?s still got something to show for it.

The New York Post reported early Thursday morning that the Nets planned on, if they haven?t already, talking to Dallas, Los Angeles and Cleveland about a deal.

A deal with the Cavaliers would unite Kidd and USA Basketball teammate LeBron James, something the two daydreamed about while sharing the court this summer.

While it very well might be the beginning, or continuation, of the end for Kidd in Jersey, we?ve yet to hear from Jason on whether or not he?s lost all hope regarding an extension. However, if he did in fact ?fake? a migraine and chose to sit Wednesday night, it?s not going to be looked at as an act of goodwill by Thorn, Frank and Kidd?s teammates.

J-Kidd?s teammates kept their lips sealed for the most part following their loss to the Knicks, but one teammate did tell the Post that, "I can't picture Jason doing that. I would be disappointed if he did."

The Lakers (11-8) are enjoying a surprisingly successful start to the 2007-08 campaign, but that doesn?t mean they won?t make a play for Kidd if the Nets choose to deal him. In February, a deal was reportedly discussed that would have sent Kidd and Jason Collins to L.A. in exchange for Jordan Farmar, Kwame Brown, Chris Mihm and a pair of Laker draft picks.

The appreciation of Kidd?s contract won?t allow such a trade to fly this season, but there are still plenty of possibilities involving the Nets and Lakers.

New Jersey could ship Kidd and Josh Boone to Hollywood in exchange for Farmer, Mihm, Brown, Vladimir Radmanovic and a draft pick. The deal works under the terms of the NBA?s Collective Bargaining Agreement, as long as the teams wait until mid-December when Mihm becomes tradable (he recently signed a new deal with L.A.).

The more intriguing option, though, would be for Kidd to land in Cleveland with LBJ.

The Cavs don?t have a wealth of options to offer the Nets, but they could send Larry Hughes, Eric Snow and Damon Jones and a pair of draft picks in exchange for LeBron?s new best buddy.

Snow would help ease the loss of Kidd, teaching Marcus Williams the ropes along the way, and Jones would provide a nice outside touch to the already-deadly Jersey backcourt ? but Cleveland would have to sell Thorn and company on Hughes? contract.

Hughes has yet to live up to the hype in Cleveland, thanks to injuries and poor play. He?s also set to earn over $38 million over the next three seasons (including this one).

The picture should get clearer in Jersey over the next few days, but it?s now apparent that Jason is no longer kidding around.

Is Kidd really done in Jersey? Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com