New Jersey Nets owner Bruce Ratner is prepared to spend some cash this off-season.  Ratner has given team president Rod Thorn and general manager Ed Stefanski near-carte blanche to improve the Nets and keep Jason Kidd happy.

In fact, Ratner isn?t even worried about luxury tax penalties that will come as a result of going over the cap.

"It doesn't even require a conversation," Ratner said Wednesday afternoon inside a Brooklyn steakhouse. "Rod knows he's out there to get the best player or players that he can, given the restrictions that are in the collective bargaining agreement. That's really the only restrictions there is."

On the menu this summer are Donyell Marshall, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Stromile Swift and Samuel Dalembert.