Nets’ Biggest Transition Could Start Now

SAN ANTONIO —  Two-time defending Eastern Conference champions or not, the Nets are coming to a crossroads.

One man’s decision towers above them all and he’s not giving any hints that sound hopeful, for the moment.

“I play this game to win,” said Jason Kidd after Sunday’s game. “Again, this is my second time of coming up short of winning that championship trophy. So I’ve got to find a team, or stay with the Nets, that has a better chance of winning that championship trophy.”

Coach Byron Scott is one year from the end of his contract. The Nets say they want to re-sign him but Scott hasn’t said what he’ll do.

Chief Executive Lou Lamoriello, who runs the New Jersey Devils, also has control of the Nets in the Yankee Entertainment Sports organization, but is reportedly at odds with Net owner Lewis Katz.

Before the Devils won the Stanley Cup, this prompted speculation Lamoriello might leave, with Yankee owner George Steinbrenner saying he might find a place for him in his organization.

Then there’s the arena issue. Katz hasn’t been able to make a deal with the state for an arena in Newark. Last week New York Islander owner Charles Wang told Newsday he was in an “ongoing dialogue” to buy the Nets and move them “here back to their home” on Long Island. The Nets denied there were any discussions.

NBA Commissioner David Stern, who rarely critiques his teams, recently began trying to nudge the Nets in the right direction, pointing out their game operations needed improvement.

Apparently, so does their long-term direction.

“We encourage the ownership group to, as we say in the philosophical world, to fish or cut bait, with respect to their plans,” Stern told the New York Daily News last week.

“I’m hopeful -- and I want to distinguish that from optimistic -- that we might be getting to a point where they’ll be making a decision in the next several weeks. From my perspective, although this building [Continental Airlines Arena] is certainly adequate for now and a year from now, there seems to be so many sets of plans on hold that I think it doesn’t have a good impact on fans, ticket sales and the like.”

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

NBA CHAMPIONS

*--* 2002-03 -- San Antonio Spurs 2001-02 -- Lakers 2000-01 -- Lakers 1999-00 -- Lakers 1998-99 -- San Antonio Spurs 1997-98 -- Chicago Bulls 1996-97 -- Chicago Bulls 1995-96 -- Chicago Bulls 1994-95 -- Houston Rockets 1993-94 -- Houston Rockets 1992-93 -- Chicago Bulls 1991-92 -- Chicago Bulls 1990-91 -- Chicago Bulls 1989-90 -- Detroit Pistons 1988-89 -- Detroit Pistons 1987-88 -- Lakers 1986-87 -- Lakers 1985-86 -- Boston Celtics 1984-85 -- Lakers 1983-84 -- Boston Celtics 1982-83 -- Philadelphia 76ers 1981-82 -- Lakers 1980-81 -- Boston Celtics 1979-80 -- Lakers 1978-79 -- Seattle SuperSonics 1977-78 -- Washington Bullets 1976-77 -- Portland Trail Blazers 1975-76 -- Boston Celtics 1974-75 -- Golden State Warriors 1973-74 -- Boston Celtics 1972-73 -- New York Knicks 1971-72 -- Lakers 1970-71 -- Milwaukee Bucks 1969-70 -- New York Knicks 1968-69 -- Boston Celtics 1967-68 -- Boston Celtics 1966-67 -- Philadelphia 76ers 1965-66 -- Boston Celtics 1964-65 -- Boston Celtics 1963-64 -- Boston Celtics 1962-63 -- Boston Celtics 1961-62 -- Boston Celtics 1960-61 -- Boston Celtics 1959-60 -- Boston Celtics 1958-59 -- Boston Celtics 1957-58 -- St. Louis Hawks 1956-57 -- Boston Celtics 1955-56 -- Philadelphia Warriors 1954-55 -- Syracuse Nationals 1953-54 -- Minneapolis Lakers 1952-53 -- Minneapolis Lakers 1951-52 -- Minneapolis Lakers 1950-51 -- Rochester Royals 1949-50 -- Minneapolis Lakers 1948-49 -- Minneapolis Lakers 1947-48 -- Baltimore Bullets 1946-47 -- Philadelphia Warriors FINALS MVPs 2003 -- Tim Duncan, San Antonio 2002 -- Shaquille O’Neal, Lakers 2001 -- Shaquille O’Neal, Lakers 2000 -- Shaquille O’Neal, Lakers 1999 -- Tim Duncan, San Antonio 1998 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago 1997 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago 1996 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago 1995 -- Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston 1994 -- Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston 1993 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago 1992 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago 1991 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago 1990 -- Isiah Thomas, Detroit 1989 -- Joe Dumars, Detroit 1988 -- James Worthy, Lakers 1987 -- Magic Johnson, Lakers 1986 -- Larry Bird, Boston 1985 -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lakers 1984 -- Larry Bird, Boston 1983 -- Moses Malone, Philadelphia 1982 -- Magic Johnson, Lakers 1981 -- Cedric Maxwell, Boston 1980 -- Magic Johnson, Lakers 1979 -- Dennis Johnson, Seattle 1978 -- Wes Unseld, Washington 1977 -- Bill Walton, Portland 1976 -- Jo Jo White, Boston 1975 -- Rick Barry, Golden State 1974 -- John Havlicek, Boston 1973 -- Willis Reed, New York 1972 -- Wilt Chamberlain, Lakers 1971 -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee 1970 -- Willis Reed, New York 1969 -- Jerry West, Lakers

*--*