NEW YORK -- Though no trade conversation actually took place between the Nets and Mavericks in early August, which is contrary to widespread reports, Mark Cuban was seriously considering the acquisition of 31 1/2-year old Jason Kidd for the appropriate (bad) contracts once his knee rehab was confirmed a success.

That's no longer the case!

The addition of Erick Dampier (and Jason Terry) gives Don Nelson his first legit center to coach since Bob Lanier. Meaning the Mavericks' owner and Nellie are in full faint; they absolutely love their team. It's reconstruction, vows Cuban, has been completed.

No sweat, new Nets owner Bruce Ratner no doubt figures. The NBA is swarming with independently irresponsible billionaires, thus his seamless transition into their fraternity.

Eventually one of them is bound to concoct an impervious reason, Ratner accurately rationalizes, to justify assuming the $88 million or so remaining on Kidd's guaranteed five-year contract.

If there's a sucker born every minute, the NBA's Board of Governors flaunts nearly a half hour of them.

Do you realize the Nets are paying Richard Jefferson $76 million for six seasons, the exact amount Kenyon Martin will earn from the Nuggets, including his signing bonus, over that same span?

Despite the fact that Jefferson and this columnist were huge fans of his before it became fashionable, neither one of us would ever dare publicly profess Richard as being as valuable as Kenyon.

Supposedly the threat of this season's luxury tax coerced Ratner to wreck the Nyets by donating Martin and Kerry Kittles to the Nuggets and the Clippers, as well as liberating Rodney Rogers and Lucious Harris to save several more million dollars.

If, indeed, that's the story how come Ratner didn't stick to it when negotiating with Jefferson?

By finding a salivating sugar daddy willing to inflate his price ($90 million for seven seasons, $20.5 million up front), Martin -- a restricted free agent -- put the financial squeeze on the Nets.

Jefferson, a year removed from seeking another suitor, had no such leverage. There was nobody lurking in the swamps' shadows looking to inflate his salary.

Who did Ratner think he was bidding against?

The Queens Borough president?

Today's pop quiz. What was more oddball to the eyeball?

Shaquille O'Neal: a) In Miami, b) In L.A., c) In Orlando, or d) In shape?

Personally, I was conspicuously rooting for the Magic to re-wind up with Shaq. Think about it, by the end of the season he would have again been eligible to bolt town without compensation.

Shaq shimmied for 17 points, seven rebounds and five fouls in 22 minutes in Sunday's loss to the Rockets, now off to China to play the Kings in a pair of exhibition games.

Sixteen months after micro surgery Chris Webber's left knee is hurtin' for certain. That slight snag, plus a $77 million obligation for the next four seasons is making it a tad tough on the Kings to scrounge up interest.

Let's put it this way: the Miami Dolphins have a better chance of trading Ricky Williams.

The third and final presidential debate is set for Wednesday at Arizona State.

Speaking of the president, did you see where Don King ponied up $44,500 for his re-election campaign?

"I like a man of conviction," King said, adding, "And I know I thing or two about conviction."

Laker line operatives inform me Rudy Tomjanovich has designed halfcourt sets only for Kobe and Lamar Odom. I know what you're thinking; you're shocked anybody else is even in the playbook.

Turns out Odom's only a safety valve in case Kobe's Colorado charter is late on game night.

It's wonderful to see Bill Bertka, former Laker assistant (and original GM of the New Orleans Jazz), back in business on L.A.'s sidelines as Rudy T's aide. Bertka's been around so long he has winters at Forest Lawn.

Tomjanovich asked Kermit Washington to remain patient regarding his return to the NBA. Says he has him penciled in as a candidate to become his assistant right behind Lewis Lloyd and Mitchell Wiggins.