If 2009-2010 turns out to be a championship season for Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks, people may look back at this week as the one where the seeds of greatness were sown.


Jason has something to smile about (Getty Images).

On Wednesday, Jason and the Mavs announced officially that he was returning to Dallas, courtesy of a three-year deal valued at more than $25 million.

A valuable asset to the Mavericks, No. 2 finished the 2009 playoffs with an average of 11.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game.

Earlier in the week, No. 2 explained to the Dallas Morning News that the talent of the Mavericks compelled him to return, believing that a championship with Dallas was not out of reach.

"I think we got a great chance," Kidd said. "Mark didn’t waste any time in signing a free agent

[center Marcin Gortat, a restricted free agent who will sign Wednesday], so I think we’re sitting in a good spot. I think we still have a big window to win a championship."

JOINED BY MARION
Jason’s return to Dallas was complemented with the acquisition of Shawn Marion — another talented, versatile player — on Wednesday. The athletic small forward spent his days with the Phoenix Suns running the floor as part of a high-flying, up-and-down offense, and playing with J-Kidd, he’ll likely be seeing more of the same in Dallas.

If the Mavericks offer for Marcin Gortat holds up, the reconstituted Dallas squad will be a formidable one. As detailed on ESPN.com:

The Mavericks are hoping that the combination of Marion and Orlando restricted free agent Marcin Gortat — along with the re-signing of Jason Kidd — will greatly improve the depth and flexibility possessed by a team that won 50 games last season and advanced to the second round of the playoffs before losing to Denver. The Magic can match the five-year, $34 million offer sheet Gortat has signed with Dallas but are expected to let him go.

Mavs owner Mark Cuban has said for months he was prepared to be as aggressive as possible this summer as opposed to waiting for the free-agent bonanza of 2010, when Dallas was initially expected to have substantial cap space. With these moves, Dallas can start Marion at small forward next to Dirk Nowitzki and shift Josh Howard to shooting guard, with Sixth Man Award winner Jason Terry staying in a bench role. The Mavericks also believe that they will have a strong small-ball unit when they elect not to play Gortat or Erick Dampier, featuring Howard at small forward, Marion at power forward and Nowitzki at center.

NBA TV WEIGHS IN
David Aldridge and NBA TV’s commentators weighed in on Jason’s re-signing:

RELATED STORIES
Kidd won over by Dallas Mavericks’ shot at winning (Dallas Morning News, July 6, 2009)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/070709dnspomavslede.339127f.html
Shawn Marion headed to Dallas Mavericks (ESPN.com, July 9, 2009)
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4314637