DALLAS — Jason Kidd has told the Mavericks he will return to the team after they offered him a three-year contract worth more than $25 million.

Kidd, 36, whom the Mavericks traded for in February 2008, had been pursued by the New York Knicks, among others, in the free-agent period this summer but has agreed to come back to the Mavericks, owner Mark Cuban said Sunday.
“We are excited to have Jason Kidd back in a Mavs uniform,” Cuban said. “He was a major contributor for us last year, and we expect more of the same next year.
“We also are excited to have him tutor Roddy Beaubois and J.J. Barea. This is hopefully the first of several deals to come in the next couple weeks.”
The Knicks could not offer Kidd a contract that would be competitive with what the Mavericks could offer. Barring a sign-and-trade, the Knicks were limited to offering a contract starting at about $5.5 million, expected to be the mid-level exception when the salary cap is confirmed by the NBA later this week.
Free agents have been allowed to negotiate since Wednesday, but cannot officially sign contracts until this Wednesday. The Mavericks had the hammer with Kidd because they could offer considerably more money than any other team.
They also are in the running for restricted free agent Marcin Gortat, the 6-11 center who played for Orlando last season.
The Mavericks were eager to re-sign Kidd for many reasons. He is one of the keys to their pursuit of other free agents in 2010 that may give the organization a better chance of competing for a championship.
Next summer is viewed as a huge free-agent bonanza.
Kidd earned more than $21 million last season and helped the Mavericks finish 50-32. They advanced to the second round of the playoffs, losing to Denver.
Kidd, a 15-season veteran, was chosen by the Mavericks with the second pick in the 1994 draft but was traded to Phoenix in December 1996. The Mavericks reacquired him in a trade that sent Devin Harris to New Jersey.
Kidd has averaged 9.8 points and 8.9 assists per game for the Mavericks. He will enter the 2009-10 season with 10,199 assists, most among active players and third all-time behind John Stockton (15,806) and Mark Jackson (10,334).