Commentary: Is Jason Kidd(ing)?

WASHINGTON, July 11 (UPI) -- New Jersey Nets point guard Jason Kidd is in the headlines again, but not for a good reason.

The New York Post reported Thursday that it was told by league sources that, at a meeting with the team's brass Tuesday night, Kidd issue an ultimatum -- fire Coach Byron Scott and I'll stay.

Say what?

It's no secret that Kidd is being courted heavily by the NBA world champion San Antonio Spurs, who could make him ultra rich. The Post report said the Spurs have offered the highly sought free agent nearly $100 million for six years. That's a lot of bank.

Problem is, if indeed he did tell the Nets it's me or Scott, he has a huge mess to clean up.

You see when Kidd was in college at the University of California, rumors have it he was the catalyst for the firing of Coach Lou Campanelli. The two did not co-exist peacefully, to say it nicely. Coicidentally, it appears Campanelli is not alone.

There have been other basketball stars at the center of similar controversies. The Los Angeles Lakers once fired Paul Westhead because star guard Magic Johnson didn't like his methods. Ditto for Penny Hardaway and Coach Brian Hill at Orlando. Shaquille O'Neal left Orlando because the Magic either didn't or couldn't hire the coach he wanted to play for, Chuck Daly, who eventually did coach for the Magic after O'Neal went to the Lakers. The great Michael Jordan could not see eye-to-eye with a Doug Collins, who was canned by the Chicago Bulls.

But I digress. Let's get back to Kidd.

His alleged demand was the talk of sports talk radio around the globe Thursday. The issue was so hot that he could not ignore it without a comment, which he made to cable network ESPN (isn't that how today's stars get famous)?

He denied having given the ultimatum, which is not a surprise, but the damage already was done. It certainly did not help that the Campanelli story, true or false, was out there. It does not help that Kidd has been labeled as a difficult teammate and, at times, tough to coach. Wonder what the Spurs' brass is thinking?

Also, if Kidd does decide to sign with the Spurs, people will ask, fair or not, if he did because the ultimatum was true? All the money in the universe won't prevent the questions or the speculation.

Are we to believe New Jersey General Manager Rod Thorn when he says that no ultimatum was issued? In fact, since Kidd has never won anything, it seems unthinkable that he would make, or even think he could make this kind of demand. The only two people who MIGHT be able to are seven-footers Shaquille O'Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers, when he's healthy and motivated, and Tim Duncan of San Antonio, who oh by the way, has won two championship rings. O'Neal has three.

Both of them are legimate superstar big men, and in the NBA post-Jordan, you don't win it all without a reliable one. That's why the Kidd thing makes no sense. It would be idiotic for him to think he can say something like this. And, when you consider that in the same story, it says Kidd also wants the Nets to sign Alonzo Mourning, a superb talent who did not play last season while recovering from a potentially debilitating kidney disease, it makes you wonder.

How can an employee bite the hand that feeds him, even if he has a better deal? Smells fishy to me.

(On Friday, after the denials by Kidd and Thorn, reports indicated that he has decided to re-sign with the Nets, who also will get Mourning. There was no indication that it will be a package deal or that the Nets tried to get him at Kidd's demand. That makes a bit more sense, but stay tuned. This is not over by a long shot!)