DALLAS, Texas (AFP) — Devean George doesn't feel like a deal breaker but he knows what people are saying about his role in a trade that would send disgruntled New Jersey guard Jason Kidd to a championship contender.
"If I am the bad guy, people who know me know that I am not like that, but it is what it is," George said. "I just want to look over things and have it explained to me."
With the New Jersey Nets poised to complete a blockbustre deal to send Kidd back to Dallas, the Mavericks reserve forward George has unexpectedly exercised his right to block the trade, according to a report on ESPN.com.
ESPN said its sources told them the teams verbally agreed to the deal earlier Wednesday and were preparing to submit the trade for league approval, but George informed the Mavericks that he wouldn't consent to being included in the deal.
"It was all coming down on me and my little salary," said George, who was making just over 2.3 million dollars this season.
"It is all coming down on me and I am being thrown to the wolves, but I will be that guy to everybody.
"I just want to look over things. What that would mean, what are my options. Just everything to protect me because there are a lot of legal things that players really don't know."
Despite the snag, the teams may still be sorting out final details of the deal, which reportedly would send Kidd and forward Malik Allen to Dallas for guard Devin Harris, veteran swingman Jerry Stackhouse, center DeSagana Diop, guard Maurice Ager and, in the absence of George, another possible player.
Citing multiple sources, ESPN said Dallas also would add the league maximum three million dollars in cash and send its 2008 first-round draft pick as well as a 2010 first-rounder to the Nets.
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