Deron Williams supposedly was outta Brooklyn before he ever played there, headed to Dallas to team up with veteran Mavericks guard Jason Kidd. Or Williams was going to land elsewhere and be joined by Kidd as a traveling companion, a package deal waiting to happen in NBA free agency 2012.

Or neither of the above. Williams will stay right where he is, re-signing with the Nets for the inaugural season in the Knicks’ New York backyard and teaming up instead with freshly acquired Joe Johnson in a pricey, potent backcourt that doesn’t appear to fit Kidd (Avery Johnson still does coach the Nets, y’know.) That would leave the aging/ageless playmaker to fend for himself, heading somewhere in the somewhat reduced role that he’s seeking or maybe staying, too, right where he’s at.

According to ESPNDallas.com’s Jeff Kaplan, though, Kidd and the Mavericks are close to a deal that would allow Kidd to end his career where it began:

The 39-year-old is closing in on a multiyear deal, a source close to the situation said. The source said the deal is not completed, but barring any snags, Kidd will close out his career alongside Dirk Nowitzki.

The value of the contract was not known.

After a rough few days that saw prized free agent Deron Williams opt to re-sign with the Brooklyn Nets, Jason Terry agree to terms with the Boston Celtics and then another Mavs target Steve Nash stunningly get traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavs are finally nearing their first positive move of a so-far frustrating free-agent period by bringing back Kidd.

Entering his 19th season, Kidd finished a three-year, $25 million deal this season and openly talked about possibly joining Williams as a package deal at either Dallas or Brooklyn.

…

Reeling from Williams’ rejection, the Mavs’ front office quickly shifted gears and engaged Nash, who left Dallas in the summer of 2004 to accept a lucrative free-agent deal with the Suns, and they also targeted Knicks restricted free agent Jeremy Lin.

But, when the Suns and Lakers reached a sign-and-trade agreement Wednesday evening that will pair Nash with Kobe Bryant, the Mavs ramped up their discussions with Kidd, who had also talked of being open to playing with Lin, a fellow Bay Area native, in New York.

All along though, Kidd maintained his desire to remain with the Mavs and to continue to play alongside Nowitzki, who campaigned for the organization to trade for the future Hall of Fame point guard in 2008. Together each won the only championship of their careers in 2011.

Kidd was originally drafted by the Mavs in the second pick in the 1994 Draft, but played with Phoenix and New Jersey before a 2008 trade reunited him with his original franchise.