"Coach Byron Scott says for the immediate future he's going to stick with a three-guard rotation, essentially making Lucious Harris the back-up to point guard Jason Kidd and to shooting guard Kerry Kittles."

This means rookie Zoran Planinic is out of the rotation for the Nets.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) Dozens of people from around the country are interested in donating a kidney to New Jersey Nets star Alonzo Mourning.

Gregory Perrin of the Kidney and Urology Foundation of America said his organization received about 60 calls Tuesday and Wednesday, seeking information on how to become a donor.

About half the callers asked specifically about donating a kidney to Mourning, said Perrin, the organization's director of marketing and development. Other callers were interested in organ donation in general.

Mourning declined to comment Wednesday through agent Jeff Wechsler, who said potential donations were a private matter.

The outpouring followed Monday's announcement that Mourning needs a kidney transplant and will have to retire. He suffers from focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

``We're regretful that Mr. Mourning has to go through this, but at the same time he's an inspiration,'' Perrin said from his New York office. ``He's stepped forward to talk about his disease over the years, and that takes a lot of the fear factor away for people.''

The 33-year-old player was diagnosed with the disease before the 2000-01 season while with Miami. He missed the first 69 games of that season but played the full 2001-02 season, averaging 15.7 points and 8.4 rebounds. He missed all of last season.

In his comeback this year, he played in 12 games for the Nets, averaging 8.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 17.9 minutes. He looked exhausted when he left the court for a breather during his final game Saturday.

Mourning was notified about the latest developments Sunday by Dr. Gerald Appel, a kidney specialist at Columbia University Medical Center. He was told his kidney function had deteriorated in recent weeks and the chemical imbalances in his blood made it dangerous for him to play.

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, known as FSGS, affects the filters of the kidney that are responsible for removing toxins from the urine. It frequently does not produce symptoms and can only be diagnosed through a kidney biopsy. There is no single cause of FSGS.

According to statistics compiled by the Kidney and Urology Foundation, about 83,000 people await organ transplants in the United States, including 57,000 awaiting kidney transplants. Perrin said, on average, 17 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant.

Potential donors undergo psychological and medical tests to determine if their motives are altruistic, said Anne Paschke, a spokeswoman for the United Network for Organ Sharing, the organization that manages the nation's transplant system and maintains the national organ waiting list.

About 20 percent of patients who receive a transplant suffer a recurrence of FSGS, said Dr. Ira Greifer, a professor of pediatric nephrology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York and the president of the Kidney and Urology Foundation.

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On the Net:

Kidney and Urology Foundation: http://www.kidneyurology.org

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) The New Jersey Nets will have to pay Alonzo Mourning $22.6 million over the next four years because they were unable to insure the guaranteed contract due to the center's kidney disease.

Nets president Rod Thorn said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that the Nets are responsible for the payments to Mourning, who earlier this week left the game because his illness worsened. The seven-time All-Star center needs a kidney transplant.

The added financial burden comes just months after the Nets spent $25 million to $30 million to buy out the contract of center Dikembe Mutombo, who spent one disappointing, injury-marred season with the team.

Thorn said the financial burden would not be an obstacle to selling the team.

``Everyone who is trying to buy the team is well aware of the situation,'' Thorn said when asked if Mourning's illness might make the team harder to sell.

YankeeNets, the sports conglomerate that runs the Nets, has received four bids for the team, reportedly ranging from $250 million to $275 million.

Thorn said the Nets cannot remove Mourning from their salary cap until July 2005, at the earliest. New Jersey is going to have to pay more than $10 million in luxury taxes because of its salary cap problems.

The job of Nets head coach Byron Scott is not in jeopardy despite a 5-7 start says team president Rod Thorn.

"That's not true," Net president Rod Thorn insisted yesterday when asked if Scott's job was in jeopardy.

"Any time you're 5-7, games take on more meaning," Thorn said. "If we play the right way, which is share the basketball, rebound, play defense, the wins will take care of themselves. If we don't play the right way ... then losses are different as far as I'm concerned."

Speculation about Scott's job has surrounded him since the summer when reports of a rift between him and Jason Kidd was reported and more fuel was added to it when the Nets declined to extend Scott's contract, which expires at season's end.

Ever since Monday's announcement that he needs a kidney transplant and had to retire because of it, people across the nation have expressed their interest in donating one to Alonzo Mourning.

"From Texas, California, Seattle, Florida, Detroit and parts of New England, people have been calling to say: `How do I get tested? I'd like to help,' " Gregory Perrin, the director of marketing and development for the Kidney and Urology Foundation of America, said yesterday. "A number of them are saying: `I'm a Zo fan. I love the way he played basketball.' Some are actually saying: `I'm a Knicks fan, but I admire what he did in going public with this. I'd like to help.' "

Mourning, 33, who was diagnosed with a severe kidney disease in 2000, missed all of last season but was cleared to return to the court this season. However, his kidney functions have "rapidly deteriorated" during the past few weeks, according to his doctor, Gerald Appel. Over the weekend, Mourning was told he will need a transplant, and yesterday the Nets announced his retirement.

"It is no longer medically safe for him to play basketball," Appel said. "Although he still feels well, the chemical imbalances in his blood make it dangerous for him to play. Alonzo will need a kidney transplant in the near future."

New Jersey Nets center Alonzo Mourning will soon need a kidney transplant and because of this, he is calling it a career.

"It is with great sadness that I make this announcement," Thorn said. "Alonzo is a true champion and a very courageous athlete who attempted to defy the odds with his comeback to the NBA. Unfortunately, his medical condition will not allow him to continue his basketball career. Our thoughts and prayers are with him as he continues his fight against this disease."

Kidd sat out every practice last week to rest the knee. The Nets decided to keep their franchise point guard out of yesterday's game in hopes that he'll be able to play during the Nets' five-game West-Coast swing that starts on Tuesday in Seattle.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Jason Kidd sat out the New Jersey Nets' game with the Toronto Raptors on Saturday with a sore left knee.

The swelling that has prevented Kidd from practicing the last three days has gone down, but Nets coach Byron Scott opted to give Kidd the day as a precautionary measure.

Kidd was not available for comment before the game.

Zoran Planinic started at point guard for Kidd, who now has missed three games in two-plus seasons in New Jersey.

The two-time defending Eastern Conference champion Nets won't play again until Tuesday, so the rest will give Kidd a full week off.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) A day after taunting at practice nearly escalated into a fight, Alonzo Mourning insists all is well.

``Every day we always joke around and trash talk,'' Mourning said after the Nets practiced Friday. ``That's part of the league. It really was nothing. I didn't hear him say anything. We have to have camaraderie and be able to joke around and say things to each other. But nothing happened.''

Mourning and Kenyon Martin _ two stars on a team that went to the NBA Finals the last two seasons _ didn't speak to each other Friday and no apologies were offered during a three-hour practice for Saturday's home game against Toronto.

Nets coach Byron Scott saw no need to address the situation with the players.

``This is not like Kobe-Shaq,'' Scott said, referring to the much-publicized feud between the two Los Angeles Lakers stars.

Point guard Jason Kidd was kept out of Friday's practice with a sore left knee. His status will be a game-time decision Saturday, Scott said.

A day earlier, Mourning had threatened to go after Martin when some taunting got too personal. Martin and teammate Richard Jefferson had been joking about Mourning's inability to run conditioning drills near the end of practice.

Mourning then apparently said something about Martin's recovery from a sprained ankle. Martin responded with a comment about Mourning's life-threatening kidney disease that forced Mourning to miss most of two of the last three seasons.

Mourning became incensed and went after Martin, shouting, ``You talk about my kidney? I'll put you on your back.''

Teammates Rodney Rogers and Aaron Williams grabbed Mourning and held him back.

On Friday, during a lighthearted dunking drill in the closing minutes of practice, Mourning and Martin were on the same side of the floor. While the two players were spotted smiling and enjoying the drill, they didn't speak to each other and their eyes never met.

``These are just two guys who are frustrated by the way the team is playing and they went after each other a little,'' Scott said.

``But the whole team is doing that, not just Kenyon and 'Zo. Any family member knows that you have arguments when you live with someone every day. Every day you spend with a family member isn't always rosy. That's what happened here. It's over.''

Scott seemed to think what happened could actually help the Nets (5-6).

``It shows where we are and it shows me how much this team cares,'' he said. ``We're moving forward and we hope to bring that same kind of intensity into the games. Things like this have happened before, but you guys (the media) weren't here, so it wasn't reported.''

Martin declined to speak with reporters after practice.

Mourning said he thinks the episode might have been fueled by the Nets' lackluster performance this season.

``We're better than our record shows,'' said Mourning, who has been averaging just 7.4 and 2.3 rebounds in 18.1 minutes coming off the bench. ``We have too much talent, a ton of talent to be in this position. We all have to get better, but Alonzo Mourning has to play better to help this team. We're just upset with our play, disappointed and concerned. We just have to get back on the winning track.''