They have their first-round pick. They have both exceptions to shop the free agent market.

But what the Nets really want to know is will they have Vince Carter next season?

Carter can opt out of the final year of his contract, worth $16.3 million next season. Moments after the Nets were eliminated by the Cavs for their second straight second-round ouster, attention turned to Carter and his intentions.

"I haven't even thought about it. When it's time, it's time," Carter said to a group of unbelieving listeners.

Everything is up to Carter. The team owner, president and general manager all are on record claiming their desire to have him back. The sticking point, as it always is, will be money. The Nets are not likely to go above the $16 million per season neighborhood. Carter is believed to want more.

"Until you sign somebody, I never think it's going to get done. Obviously, there's a difference in what we perceive to be fair and what he perceives to be fair. So we'll have to see how that is bridged," said team president Rod Thorn.

"I think he's a terrific player. I think anybody who can average 25, almost six rebounds and almost five assists, which he did for us (is)," Thorn added. "He was (eighth) in the league in scoring, among the top rebounders at the guard position, among the top two-guard assist leaders. He brings a lot to the table and we would like to re-sign him."

Beyond Carter, the Nets would like to bring back Mikki Moore, who had a career year after Nenad Krstic was injured. Also, the never-ending search for an athletic back-to-the-basket big will continue. The Nets feel if they return their "Big Three" of Jason Kidd, Carter and Jefferson, have a healthy Krstic and add a big body, they will be among the elite again.

"We need to get stronger. There's no doubt. After the first couple of games (against Cleveland), we held our own. But we need to get stronger," Thorn said.

And now the off-season starts. Actually, it will start when Carter decides whether or not he is opting out.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT
It's how you finish that counts. And the Nets finished strong to stretch their playoff run to six straight seasons, a feat matched or bettered only by Detroit, San Antonio and Dallas. The Nets seemed to bottom out at 31-38 but finished with a 10-3 run that included a victory over Chicago in the final game to produce a sixth-seed finish.

TURNING POINT
The return to health of Richard Jefferson. The Nets lost their second and third scorers when Nenad Krstic went down in December and Jefferson opted for ankle surgery in January. Jefferson returned in March, slowly worked off the rust and helped fortify the Nets' running game, a key to the 10-3 finish. Jefferson was the first round Game 6 hero, scoring at one end, stealing a pass at the other, in the closing seconds to propel the Nets into the second round and eliminate Toronto.

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