Washington Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan said he hasn't paid too much attention to the United States' unblemished eight-game run through the Tournament of the Americas Olympic qualifier heading into Saturday's semifinal against Puerto Rico.

He has been too busy finding a place to live and putting together a plan to mesh a young, talented and interesting mix of players when training camp starts Sept. 29. Jordan does know that New Jersey Nets stars Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson are on this star-filled team and the fact he spent the past few years helping mold then into high-caliber players -- and winners -- has touched him a bit.

"To see Kenyon, Richard and Jason, I'm so happy for them," Jordan said in a phone interview. "I'm happy to have been a part in their careers and some of their success."

The feeling is mutual.

"Eddie is great," said Kidd, who was close to Jordan and said he was sad to see him leave. "He deserved a head coaching job. He was great with us in New Jersey. The big thing with him is that he works very hard. He'll get that team going."

The Nets' trio benefited greatly from the hawkish defensive schemes and ball-movement-based offense Jordan helped implement with head coach Byron Scott.

How Wizards scorers Gilbert Arenas and Jerry Stackhouse and big men Brendan Haywood, Kwame Brown and Jared Jeffries adhere to that system -- and not vice versa -- will dictate the Wizards' fortunes, Kidd and Jefferson said.

In the latest round of high-stakes poker over the fate of New Jersey's professional sports franchises, Gov. James E. McGreevey yesterday ruled out any new subsidies for current or future owners of the Nets and the Devils, despite a threat that the teams could move to New York.

His announcement in Bridgewater, N.J., came five days after a group of investors, which is negotiating to buy the Nets and keep the team in New Jersey, met with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to discuss the renovation of the team's current arena in the Meadowlands and a new lease.

According to state officials, the prospective owners, a group that includes Senator Jon S. Corzine and the developer Charles Kushner, wanted concessions worth about $125 million, something the governor was unwilling to provide.

"There is simply no justification for state dollars being used to guarantee the profits of team owners," McGreevey said yesterday. "In the past, New Jersey and across the country, cities and states have invested taxpayer dollars to subsidize teams. We have other priorities. If New York wants to subsidize team owners with their dollars, that is their right. But in New Jersey, those days are over."

The Corzine-Kushner group is competing with Bruce Ratner, a New York developer who has been working with Lewis Katz, a principal owner of the Nets, to buy the team and move it to Brooklyn. New York City officials have developed the outline of a deal with Ratner's Forest City Ratner Companies in which the arena would serve as the centerpiece of a larger real estate development.

At the same time, Charles B. Wang, an owner of the Islanders, is making a bid to buy the Nets and move the team to Long Island.

The game was on the line yesterday, and Jason Kidd was where he virtually never is in such a situation: on the bench.

"Jason's got a bad Achilles and he's fighting the flu," coach Larry Brown said.

Kidd's right Achilles problem isn't serious, according to Nets and Team USA trainer Tim Walsh, despite the fact the star had the same problem during the season.

"He irritated it in the first game [last week] but it felt much better," said Walsh, who added that Kidd "pinched" the tendon Monday night. "I don't think it's anything to be concerned with and I don't think he'll miss any games."

Brown said he kept Mike Bibby in the game for outside-shooting purposes, noting Kidd could have returned to play in the 94-86 win over Argentina.

Years from now, when they're reminiscing about their honeymoon, Kenyon Martin and his wife Heather will take out some photos of the first few days. What great memories. There's some rain. There's Kenyon leaving practice. Kenyon going to a game. Kenyon at a game. Oh look, a food court. And stores!

"We didn't really get a chance to do anything. It rained. We went to the mall. At least we did something," Martin said. "We've been trying to go horseback riding or something outside. Hopefully before we leave the weather will permit us to do something. And [yesterday], the one day it didn't rain, we had an early game."

Martin, who said he will make no comments about his contract situation until Nets open training camp, was added to the U.S. Olympic qualifying team when Karl Malone was excused after the death of his mother. Martin and his bride, married last weekend, promptly changed their Aruba honeymoon plans and came here.

With some in-game injuries, foul trouble, the lack of Malone and Tim Duncan's decision to sit out against his native Virgin Islands, Martin's size and intensity have been welcomed. In 59 minutes, Martin has 32 points and 25 rebounds. He scored 14 in yesterday's 113-55 blowout.

Despite being a native of the tiny territory, Tim Duncan does not play for the U.S. Virgin Islands. On Saturday, he didn't play for the United States, either.

With a conflicted Duncan sitting it out, Team USA used a small lineup for a big 113-55 rout of the Virgin Islands that kept it undefeated in the FIBA Tournament of the Americas.

Duncan's absence allowed Team USA coach Larry Brown to experiment a bit and he found a small but lethal combination in the second quarter. With a lineup featuring Kenyon Martin at center, Tracy McGrady at power forward and Mike Bibby running the show, the Americans ran off 20 straight points to turn the game into the rout everyone expected.

The quickness was especially evident on defense as the Virgin Islands could barely get into its offensive sets. Team USA repeatedly intercepted high cross-court passes, turning them into breakaway dunks and layups that wowed the Roberto Clemente Coliseum crowd.

The track meet finally ended on Martin's backcourt steal and layup that made it 46-21 with 5:35 to play in the first half. Martin and Bibby had seven points each and shooting guard Ray Allen added two flying slams.

At the 2:57 mark, Brown inserted Nick Collison, an NBA rookie selected as a collegian who has become the team's human victory cigar. He immediately dunked, signifying the end of the game and the beginning of the show.

Kenyon Martin got married last Saturday in Las Vegas and was on his way to Aruba for his honeymoon when he got a call from the USA Basketball selection committee.

When Martin was single, the decision to join the team would have been easy. But as a married man . . .

"I had to run it by her," Martin said of his new wife, Heather.

But perhaps the larger question facing the newlyweds is whether they will celebrate their first anniversary in New Jersey or in Portland. Rumors persist that a trade of Martin and Dikembe Mutombo for Rasheed Wallace and Ruben Patterson -- or some other combination of Blazers -- is still alive.

But don't ask Martin.

"I'm not here to talk about that. Period," Martin said after the United States defeated Brazil 110-76 in a preliminary round opener of the FIBA-Americas Olympic qualifying tournament Wednesday night at Roberto Clemente Coliseum. "I'm here to talk about USA Basketball."

The Nets didn't have to give Brian Scalabrine the extra money or the extra season they give him in the two-year, $1.65 million contract the 25-year-old forward signed yesterday morning.

Under the collective bargaining agreement, all they had to do was make good on the one-year, $788,000 offer they had already made. But in what may be their final personnel move of a busy summer, the Nets sent a message to the reserve forward that his attitude and work ethic are appreciated.

"They really went above and beyond what they had to do," said Bob Myers, Scalabrine's agent. "A lot of teams talk about doing what's best for the player. The Nets really backed it up."

Scalabrine had been a restricted free agent, meaning he was able to talk to other teams and the Nets could retain him by matching any other offer he received. After a summer of lightly shopping himself around the league -- Boston had some interest -- Scalabrine decided to stay put.

And he got rewarded for it.

"They said some real nice things to him and they said they're going to try to get him some more minutes this coming season," Myers said. "They've showed a real commitment to him both for the immediate future and beyond."

The New Jersey Nets have re-signed free agent forward Brian Scalabrine, Nets President/General Manager Rod Thorn announced today.  As per club policy, terms of the contract were not released.

"We are pleased to re-sign Brian," said Thorn.  "He has made valuable strides over the past two seasons and we look forward to his continued development in the future."

The 6-9 forward out of Southern California has played in 87 games with the Nets over the past two seasons, averaging 2.8 points and 2.2 rebounds.  Last season, Scalabrine played in 59 contests, averaging 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds.

Kenyon Martin apparently will just have to wait to get his contract done. And that wait likely will go to next summer, teammate Jason Kidd believes.

"I don't think they're going to get K-Mart done until next summer," Kidd said last night before the U.S. Olympic qualifying team played Brazil here. "He made that decision, I think. I don't know if they're still talking now, but from what I understand they're just going to wait till next season. He's in no position to get it done right now."

Martin, who can become a restricted free agent after this upcoming season, sought a maximum contract from the Nets, who re-upped Kidd for his max - six years, $103 million. But the Nets' offer of about $65 million was well below the $87M Martin wanted.

Martin, added to the team here this week to replace Karl Malone, has declined comment on his contract. "This is not about Kenyon right now. It's all about this [tournament]," he said. While the Nets figure to save several million, the danger they face is having an unhappy Martin all season.

Kidd also expressed his delight at the Nets officially signing Lucious Harris, his teammate back in Dallas. "It's always good to have Lou back. He's a true professional, a great teammate," Kidd said.

The honeymoon, at least as planned, is over.

When Kenyon Martin took his marriage vows Saturday in Las Vegas, he said, "For better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part." How was he to know he was about to add "In Aruba or in Puerto Rico"?

"Anybody who can be on his honeymoon and say, 'We just changed - our honeymoon's in Puerto Rico now [instead of Aruba],' you gotta love that guy," said Gregg Popovich, the San Antonio Spurs coach, working as an assistant to Larry Brown with the U.S. National Team, which begins play tonight in the FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

But that's the way things unexpectedly unfolded. First, Karl Malone, who hoped to rejoin the U.S. team yesterday after the sudden death of his mother, Shirley, last week, called Monday night to inform Brown he needed to remain with his family. The selection committee quickly tracked down Martin, the New Jersey Nets' 6-9 forward.

And, in the category of timing is everything, Nick Collison aggravated a shoulder he strained in last week's scrimmage against Puerto Rico in New York.

"With two of our 'bigs' gone, having [Martin] here is a bonus," Popovich said after Brown sent his squad through a full, 2-hour practice in the Roberto Clemente Coliseum.

Martin, like Collison, Elton Brand, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter - the late replacement for Kobe Bryant - has a spot only on the U.S. team attempting to be one of the three tournament qualifiers for next summer's Olympics in Athens, Greece.