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http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...6p-65214c.html

McDyess calls leaving
Kidd 'stupid mistake'



By FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER


More than four years after the fact, Antonio McDyess still can't justify his decision to walk away from Jason Kidd as they were entering the prime of their careers.

In Phoenix, McDyess had sunny days and an All-Star point guard to play with. But before the 1999 season, McDyess gave up that lifestyle and signed a free-agent contract with Denver, where he would encounter four losing seasons, lots of snow and a devastating knee injury.

"I blame it on how young and stupid I was," McDyess said. "There was a lot of pressure on me. Honestly, I was young and I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't look back to see what we had. I wasn't thinking what we could do and how far we could go. I just made a silly mistake."

McDyess and Kidd spent one season together in Phoenix but the two have forged a lasting friendship. After being picked up by the Knicks last June, McDyess has spoken regularly with Kidd and even spent New Year's Eve with Kidd's family.

In many ways, Kidd has made the transition from Denver to New York easier for McDyess, who fractured his left kneecap in October and spent the winter rehabilitating in Manhattan after surgery.

"It's good to know that he's right up the street from me," McDyess said. "Him and (Dikembe) Mutombo. I'm still friends with him as well."

McDyess rejoined the Knicks on a semi-regular basis three weeks ago and will accompany them to the Meadowlands tonight for what is a crucial game for both teams.

Kidd's pending free agency has been a recurring theme for the Nets and he is facing the same difficult decision McDyess faced four years ago. Several league sources believe Kidd has already made up his mind about his future.

If McDyess has any inside information about Kidd's plans, the veteran power forward isn't saying. Asked about it, McDyess smiled and pretended to zip his lips.

"Honestly, I don't know," McDyess said, laughing. "He doesn't really say anything about it."

In 1998, McDyess was 24 when he left the Suns after a year to rejoin the Nuggets, with whom he had spent the first two years of his career.

As Kidd's teammate in Phoenix, McDyess averaged 15.1 points and 7.6 rebounds in 81games during the 1997-98 season. He also shot a career-high 54% and reached the playoffs for the first and only time.

"That was great," said McDyess, who is expected to re-sign with the Knicks when his contract expires next summer. "I still kinda think about why I left because I think we had something special."

McDyess and Kidd became teammates again during the 2000 Olympics, leading the United States to a gold medal.

"Just being on the court with him and being around him again, I really felt bad about the decision I made," McDyess said. "Jason is a first-class guy."

"I always look back at that and think what could have and should have happened. I try to let it go and put it in the past but it's kinda hard when you see how well he's playing now with the Nets and I think about how good we played together when we were at Phoenix."

SweetD

He realy hurt the Suns by not staying. I still am preaty pissed he walked away. Him not signing hurt this team for a few years becouse we tryed to make up for him leaving. Sorry to see his carreer go to shi#.

Joe Mama

He probably would have been injured the entire time. Of course the Suns ended up signing Tom Gugliotta who has been injured also.

Joe Mama

__________________
"A good way to threaten somebody is to light a stick of dynamite. Then you call the guy and hold the burning fuse up to the phone. 'Hear that?' you say. 'That's dynamite, baby.'" - Jack Handy

Chaz

I think "stupid mistake" is an understatement.

Kidd and McDyess were the only bright spots in the playoffs against the Spurs that year (with Chapman and Manning out).
They were a great core to build around. I still somewhat blame Kidd for not going to Houston for some tampering during the lockout and getting him back to Phoenix.

I guess we all make mistakes.

King A

but see it this way:

after a few years of 50+ wins season und a few 1st round playoff exits, we got better than him:
amares stats for a rookie or his' in his 3rd yeard!!!

Amare's God

ThatsAmare

I detested McDyess for years after he bolted. I'm over it now we've got Amare, and watching him on crappy Denver teams and being shipped to NY also helped. It would be worse if he went to Denver and made them a contender. I probably would have hung myself if that happened.

cheng

McDyess was stupid for defecting with less money to Denver. The deciding factor was the relationship bewteen Danny Ainge and him, Ainge said publicly he wasn't a player that should demand a 100 mill contract, and was only a starting PF material on a championship contender team. McDyess was clearly one of the up and coming star as he was just becoming consistent with his jump shots along with his increditable athletic abilites. I never figure out why Ainge only played him only about 30PPG while he put up 15 and 8 on .54% FG. It was too late when Ainge realized how important McDyess was to the suns after McDyess put up big numbers in the playoffs.

We still haven't recovered from McDyess or Ainge's stupidity. Not only we wasted 2 1st picks,2 2nd picks and Wesley Person who I really liked. We were forced to sign Googs who only played one decent year after the signing. As supposed to signing another big name FA(Pippen?) while retaining McDyess during that off season.

Our shooting guard rotation has been horribe since we traded Person and Nash away that year. Hardaway has never been healthy, and we have never been able to get someone who could shoot like Person or Nash from outside, especially when Kidd was our PG.

I have not liked any of recent suns head coach for the past 10 years.

schutd

Dont forget the lockout was a SIGNIFICANT factor in all of those occurances, Cheng. Ainge might have blown it in his handling of MyDyess, but if theres no lockout, we keep McDyess. IMO.

Chaz

I don't know, I think Ainge wanted McDyess to live up to his potential. Which includes playing defense.

He never had to work in Denver, there were no expectations he could get his numbers and didn't have to make sacrafices to make the team better. In Phoenix the team was expected to be a playoff team and McDyess needed to be the man.

I remember Ainge admitting he could have done a better job communicating with McDyess. IMO McDyess couldn't take constructive criticism and he didn't get any in Denver.

cheng

I agree. After spending 7-8 months during the lockout with Van Exel in Houston, McDyess completely lost his mind, now even himself admits he didnt know what he was thinking.

But still, you don't say things like Ainge said to McDyess publicly to a FA you want to resign. I don't think what Ainge said were constructive criticisms that would push McDyss becoming a better player. He simply underestimated McDyess's abilities. I never heard McDyess was a bad defender, in fact he lead the team in Rebounds, Blocks and Steals behind Kidd that year with limited minutes. McDyess wasn't the man in phoenix, that was part of reason why he left. I believe Robinson played more minutes than McDyess that year. I was pretty upset when McDyess became a franchize player after Ainge predicted he would never be.

schutd

Franchise player how? Cause they pay him that much? I still dont think McDyess is a franchise player

Chaplin

It's all a matter of perception. On the Knicks and the Nuggets, he IS a franchise player. On a Suns team with Jason Kidd, he is not. On a Suns team with Stephon Marbury, he is not either. It's the nature of the beast.

Chaz

Stats don't tell the whole story on defense. Defense is about effort, playing in position, and getting back in transition. There is a reason Cliff played that many minutes. Ainge wanted someone who was not giving up easy baskets.
McDyess has never developed beyond what he was in Phoenix. This was my point before, just getting by on his talent is good enough for McDyess. He may come back and be a good player for NY but he is not a franchise player, with a different attitude he might have been.

I guess franchise player could be a relative term. Like Chaplin said it depends on the franchise.

I think we can all agree there were mistakes made all around.

cheng

Yes, franchize player is very relative to different people. I guess there were reasons Suns were willing to offer McDyess a MAX contract. And it has alot to do with success of a team, GM's ability to evaluate talents.

DevonCardsFan

Screw McDyess I'm happy to see his career screwed up, the guy bolted on the Suns screwing the team up, I'm kinda happy for it now though, in doing thisthis allowed the Suns, to lock up Marion for long term for big money, trade Kidd to land Marbury and have a high pick to land Stoudamire, this teams current foundation. So it worked out in the end.