The lure of Jason Kidd is a strong reason why the Nets could land one of the more attractive remaining free agents, small forward James Posey.

"We've been talking and talking for a while," Posey's agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed yesterday. "And while it's hard to get into specifics, yes, the Nets are in the running. I would think there will be a decision soon."

Bartelstein was hoping for a decision last night, but said it might go into the weekend before Posey makes his choice.

Though attracted to playing with Kidd, Posey, 6-foot-8, 30 years old, who spent his last two seasons in Miami, is considering offers from the Celtics and Cavaliers. The Nets are at a financial disadvantage and have the biannual exception, $1.8 million, unless they can work a sign-and-trade with the Heat.

The lure of Jason Kidd is a strong reason the Nets could land one of the more attractive remaining free agents, small forward James Posey.

"We've been talking and talking for a while," Posey's agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed yesterday. "And while it's hard to get into specifics, yes, the Nets are in the running. I would think there will be a decision soon."

Bartelstein was hoping for a decision last night, but said it might go into the weekend before Posey makes his choice.

Though attracted to playing with Kidd, Posey, 6-foot-8, 30 years old, who spent his last two seasons in Miami, is considering offers from the Celtics and Cavaliers. The Nets are at a financial disadvantage and have the biannual exception, $1.8 million, unless they can work a sign-and-trade with the Heat.

Boston has $3.6 million of its mid-level exception remaining.

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority said Tuesday it is hunting for a new firm to put its name on the Meadowlands arena after being informed by Continental Airlines that it has decided to opt out of its naming rights deal.

The Meadowlands building has been called Continental Airlines Arena for 12 years.

A spokesman for the Houston-based airline, which has a major presence at Newark Liberty International Airport, said an option in its contract allows it to opt out following a major change. The New Jersey Devils hockey team, one of the arena's main tenants, is leaving this fall for a new home in Newark.

"The current arrangement remains in effect until the NJSEA designates a new sponsor," said Dave Messing, a Continental spokesman. "We have had a rewarding relationship with the arena and are happy to continue to have our name on it until a new sponsor takes over."

Former UA player Hassan Adams is without a team or a job after being released by the New Jersey Nets in July.

Adams said he's doing fine and may soon find out whether he'll be in a camp come October. He said news could come in the next couple of weeks, adding that San Antonio is a possibility.

Carmelo Anthony and Steve Smith set the bar.

Now, Nets forward Richard Jefferson has eclipsed them all, making the largest donation ever by a current professional athlete to his former school when he pledged $3.5 million to Arizona's new $14 million basketball/volleyball practice facility.

The massive donation, paid in installments, means the 27-year old Jefferson will have the naming rights to the building.

Richard Jefferson, former University of Arizona basketball star, promised Friday to donate $3.5 million to the school's athletic department.

The gift from Jefferson, who now plays for the New Jersey Nets in the NBA, will be used toward finishing a $14 million basketball/volleyball practice facility.

UA officials say the new facility will bear Jefferson's name.

"I am pleased and blessed to be able to make this gift to an institution that has done so much to help me," Jefferson said in a news release. "For an Arizona kid like me to be able to give something back to the University of Arizona is very special."

The New Jersey Nets have signed free agent guard Robert Hite, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

?We are pleased to add Robert to our roster,? said Thorn.  ?He performed capably for us in the recent summer league, and we feel he can potentially add depth to our backcourt.?

Hite, 6-2 product out of Miami (Fla.), appeared in 12 games for the Miami Heat during the 2006-07 campaign, averaging 4.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11.3 minutes.  Hite also appeared in 19 games for the Sioux Falls Sky Force of the NBA Development League, averaging 14.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists.

One source said the Nets will wait for Indiana to call them in regards to a Jermaine O'Neal trade.

They don't want to give up Richard Jefferson, Nenad Krstic and Marcus Williams for O'Neal, as the Pacers asked for in their last conversation.

Vince Carter insists he doesn't follow NBA news, in season or offseason. But, yes, he heard something regarding Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal. Carter's basketball camp clued him in on that.

"Nothing has changed. I don't watch the news. As a matter of fact, the kids here told me about it. That's the only reason I know about it," Carter said during a break in his annual Vince Carter Academy yesterday at the Nets' East Rutherford practice facility. "[O'Neal's] an All-Star. He's accomplished a lot. If they can work that, of course, that will just make us even better."

Jermaine O'Neal fired another round of volleys in his defense Tuesday to clarify his stance regarding his future with the Indiana Pacers.

Continuing to deny the gist of Internet reports out of Los Angeles that he wanted a trade, O'Neal volunteered for an afternoon interview on a local radio station and had the Pacers release a transcript and audio file of comments he made Sunday before a charity basketball game in Los Angeles.

Pacers president Larry Bird, meanwhile, downplayed the impact of O'Neal's interview with reporters from the Sports Illustrated and ESPN Web sites in which he discussed the possibility of playing for the Los Angeles Lakers or New Jersey Nets.

"He should have come in here and talked about it privately," Bird said in an interview with WNDE-1260 AM. "But it happens. I've been in this league for 27 years and I've seen (former teammates) do things like that. You don't like it to happen, but it happened, and we just have to move forward."