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The resourceful Mavericks finally acquired the nine-time all-star point guard on Tuesday from the New Jersey in a multi-player swap.

 "We're really excited to announce the return of Jason Kidd to Dallas," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said at a midday news conference. "I think we've taken a real step in making this team a real contender for a championship."

   Kidd will head to the Western Conference powerhouse Mavericks along with forward Malik Allen and swingman Antoine Wright.

 In exchange, the Nets receive point guard Devin Harris, centre DeSagana Diop, backups Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager and newly signed Keith Van Horn. In addition, they get the Mavs' first-round picks in 2008 and 2010, the league maximum 3 million dollars and a 1.6- million-dollar trade exception.

 "It's a great day for the Mavericks," Dallas head coach Avery Johnson said. "Though there are no guarantees in life, we feel we have a better opportunity to win a championship with all three of these men on the team."

   After a week in limbo, Kidd was relieved to end the speculation.

 "I'm just happy this deal is done," Kidd said. "I'm happy that Mark and coach believe in my talent and my teammates' talent that we can help the Mavs in pursuing the ultimate goal, and that's to win a championship."

   The blockbuster deal comes two days before Thursday's NBA trade deadline, after the original proposal had to be reworked.

 Veteran swingmen Devean George and Jerry Stackhouse were part of the original package, but George exercised his contractual right to block the trade.

 Meanwhile, Stackhouse was taken out of the mix after telling a reporter there was a pre-arraigned deal that the Nets would buy out his contract, and he would re-sign with the Mavericks 30 days later. The league doesn't allow under-the-table deals.

 With both teams still eager to make the swap, the Mavericks replaced George and Stackhouse with Hassell and Van Horn. However, even though Dallas owned the rights to Van Horn, they had to sign the former forward, who has been out of the league for the last 18 months.

 When Van Horn agreed to sign a contract worth approximately 4 million dollars to satisfy the swap, the deal was done. He is expected to be waived in the next several days.

 Kidd was originally selected as the second overall pick in the 1993-94 league draft and shared rookie of the year honours with Grant Hill.

 He was shipped to Phoenix in 1996 and then moved to New Jersey as the centrepiece of a trade involving another top point guard, Stephon Marbury.

 A month short of his 35th birthday, Kidd is playing at a high level. The likely future Hall of Famer is averaging 11.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game this season and is third all-time with 99 career triple-doubles, behind greats Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson.

 The unselfish Kidd is expected to be a perfect fit to join reigning-league MVP Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard in the Mavericks' push for playoff seeding in the wild Western Conference, which includes the NBA defending champion San Antonio Spurs, the LA Lakers, the surprising New Orleans Hornets and the Phoenix Suns.

 "It's not geometry, it's just basketball," Kidd said. "It's just a matter of Dirk and myself being ourselves. He knows how to play the game, and, hopefully, we can make each other better and our teammates better. The sky is the limit."

   Both the Mavericks and Kidd have been to the NBA finals, only to come up short. Dallas held a 2-0 lead over the Miami Heat in the 2006 championships but collapsed and dropped the next four games.

 Kidd carried the Nets to NBA final appearances in 2002 and '03, but they were easily taken out by the Lakers and Spurs. The third time could be a charm for the 14-year veteran.

 "A lot of us play this sport to be a champion and to win the ultimate prize," Kidd said. "There are no guarantees, but I've been there twice.

 "There's no better feeling, there's no bigger stage you can perform on when you do get to the NBA finals, and there's no bigger reward to have that championship trophy in your hand and that next season getting that ring. That's why I'm here, because Dallas has that vision, its eye in the prize, and that's to win the whole thing."

By Paul Levine, dpa