Walking down an SBC Center hallway late Sunday night, Jason Kidd was close enough to smell champagne and hear a celebration just around the corner, but he never made it far enough to see the inside the Spurs' locker room.

Whether he ever takes those few extra steps will soon be determined.

Fresh off his second straight loss in the NBA Finals, the soon-to-be free agent now must decide whether he wants to vie for a third trip with New Jersey or help the Spurs defend their second league championship, which they sealed with an 88-77 Game 6 victory on Sunday.

With confetti still raining from the SBC Center rafters, Kidd said he couldn't guarantee he'll be back with the Nets.

"I can't," said Kidd, who finished the series with a 21-point, seven-assist effort. "The door is open. I've got to play out my free agency."

The Spurs are one of the few teams in the league with enough salary-cap room to make a run for Kidd, who has said in the past that he'd be interested in playing with Tim Duncan.

Although the Nets are hopeful Kidd will return to the franchise he reinvigorated with his arrival after a trade from Phoenix before last season, New Jersey coach Byron Scott may have revealed something by mentioning only "two young forwards" when asked about his team's future.

"Everybody knows how important (Kidd) is," Scott said. "He's the engine to this team. He makes us go.

"So, obviously, this is going to be a big summer for us. J-Kidd, he's a basketball player but he's also a business person. So he's going to explore his options, he's going to see what's best for him and his family. Hopefully, when he comes to his conclusion, it will be New Jersey."

Kidd didn't speak in specifics regarding his free agency, and he offered a confusing explanation when talking about whether losing a second consecutive Finals increased the likelihood that he will bolt New Jersey.

"That has no bearing on what I will decide this summer," Kidd said, before contradicting that statement. "I play this game to win. This is my second time coming short of winning that championship trophy. So I've got to find a team, or stay with the Nets, that has a better chance of winning that championship trophy."