The Charlotte Bobcats, in need of a fill-in point guard, have been in discussions with the New Jersey Nets, possibly about acquiring Jeff McInnis, the Charlotte Observer is reporting.

Coach-general manager Bernie Bickerstaff confirmed on Friday morning that the two teams have talked. Bickerstaff drafted McInnis, a former North Carolina point guard, when Bickerstaff was with the Denver Nuggets. Bickerstaff later brought McInnis to Washington when he was coaching the Wizards.

McInnis hasn't played since January. The Nets told him he wasn't welcome to attend training camp, and the team has made efforts to buy out his contract.

The Nets' logical target in this deal would be power forward Melvin Ely. New Jersey needs a low-post scorer, after center Nenad Krstic was lost for the season with a severe knee injury.

McInnis makes $3.6 million this season and Ely about $3.3 million. The Bobcats can absorb the difference because they're below the salary cap. But logically the Bobcats would ask for other compensation from New Jersey: Either a draft pick or cash (the league allows a maximum of $3 million per transaction).

The Bobcats need help at the point, after Brevin Knight was diagnosed with a torn abdominal muscle. Knight had surgery Friday and is expected to miss four to six weeks. In Knight's absence, the Bobcats use Derek Anderson.

Jason Kidd received a $20,000 fine on Wednesday for his criticism of NBA officials following the Nets loss on Tuesday to the Nets.  

?I think obviously it was an excessive fine, you know?? said head coach Lawrence Frank about the fine. ?And I think maybe I?ll pay his fine because the bottom line is we?re all in it together. So whoever gets fined, whether it?s the coach or the player, we all share it because we all felt the same way.?

NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed to RealGM on Friday that the Nets? head coach would not be able to pay the fine on behalf of his point guard.

Jason Kidd's harsh words drew a quick rebuke from the league.

Kidd was fined $20,000 on Wednesday for publicly criticizing the officials following the Nets' loss to the Pistons the previous night.

The punishment was handed down by NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson.

New Jersey looking everywhere for center

Rod Thorn is scanning the CBA, the NBDL and about every other professional and amateur league in the world for someone to fill in for Nets center Nenad Krstic, who will miss the rest of the season after tearing his left ACL.While Thorn is also keeping his eyes on big men throughout the NBA, the Nets president knows that anyone in the league whom he would want would come at a hefty price.

So, in all likelihood, the Nets will play the rest of the season with what they already have in the frontcourt.

"Other guys will get a chance," Thorn said. "But as a group -- not individually -- we need guys to step up."

Put Marcus Williams on the growing list of Nets who are suffering from injuries. The rookie point guard did not play last night against the Pistons after he showed up at the morning shootaround with stiffness and spasms in his back.

Williams said he first injured himself two weeks ago against the Bucks at the Meadowlands. It flared up again in Milwaukee on Saturday, when he played just nine minutes and spent the majority of his time on the bench with a hot pack.

Following a 92-91 defeat to the Pistons at the Palace last night, two of the Nets' leaders blasted officials for not calling a foul against the Pistons on Vince Carter's potential game-winning shot with 1.6 seconds left.

Every Net protested on the court after Rasheed Wallace and Carter bumped up against each other while Wallace was defending Carter's 18-footer, which clanked off the back rim. But after the game, Lawrence Frank and Jason Kidd went an extra step, blasting official Tom Washington, the referee who was the closest to the play.

After referring to the whole crew as "the three blind mice," Kidd singled out Washington, saying, "Tom being a veteran referee, you'd expect him to have the (courage) to blow (the whistle) but I guess he lost his breath."

"It's obviously a foul," said Frank. "I'm sure if it was looked over again they would say it's a foul. But the call wasn't made. It's a shame. It's a real shame."

Nets center Nenad Krstic will miss the rest of the season because of a torn knee ligament.

The 7-footer was hurt during the third quarter of Friday night's game against the Lakers. The team announced Saturday he had a tear of his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Starting Nets center Nenad Krstic injured his left knee midway through the third quarter and he had to be helped off the court. An MRI exam was planned for Saturday to determine the extent of the injury.

"I went to spin," Krstic said in a statement. "My knee twisted and I heard a pop."

Bulls GM John Paxson denied the Bulls were close to a trade that involved forward-center P.J. Brown, who has expressed disappointment recently about his role with the team.

"We're not close to anything along those lines, and I tell you that honestly," Paxson said.

The New Jersey Nets reportedly inquired about Brown, but the Bulls weren't interested in either center Jason Collins or guard Jeff McInnis in return.

The Seattle SuperSonics also might be interested in Brown after Dallas Mavericks center Erick Dampier dominated them on Wednesday night.

Sidelined for the last four games because of a strained right foot, Brown is expected to play tonight against the Knicks.

The New Jersey Nets have made inquiries for Pau Gasol, Rashard Lewis and P.J. Brown recently.

The Nets have been in contact with the Bulls on Brown, who wants to be traded out of Chicago.  The conversation was reportedly brief, when New Jersey offered Jason Collins and Jeff McInnis.

Gasol is untouchable until the Memphis ownership situation is settled.

Lewis would be a gamble for any team that might acquire him because he can opt out of his contract following the 2006-2007 season.