They're breathing deeply in New Jersey, which is not a good thing if you're around the Meadowlands.

But old factory issues aside -- and that's easier said than done -- the New Jersey Nets can breathe a little easier with the return of Jason Kidd with a new six-year contract.

Now they have to do something about the stink that's been put on their coach, Byron Scott.

Either give him a contract extension before the start of next season or fire him. Those are the only two choices the Nets have if they expect to return to the NBA Finals for a third consecutive season in their apparent ongoing quest to be the Buffalo Bills of the NBA.

	Byron Scott won't have much ground to stand on without a contract extension.

Look, you can't win if you don't get there. And forget the health of Alonzo Mourning. Even if he is healthy, the Nets aren't about to have a successful season unless the issue of Scott's mallard status is shot down.

Scott quipped a few weeks back about not liking duck or eating duck, but he better duck the first time the Nets lose three straight this season if he doesn't have a new contract. Because the New York tabloids, with the Knicks probably out of the race by then if it's after Thanksgiving, will be wondering constantly about Scott's status.

Which now is more like a duck on the first day of hunting season.

Yes, that sound you hear is Rod Thorn denying Kidd ever asked for Scott to be fired. It's an annoying, nasal sound with a lot of honking, sort of like someone identifying a lame duck.

I don't believe Kidd demanded Scott to be fired as a condition of his return to the Nets. I don't believe that because Scott is still the Nets' coach. Without Kidd, the Nets' games were probably moving to "Nick at Nite" with the "Green Acres" reruns. And shown in black and white. It probably would cost the team more to pay the arena staff than they'd make from games without Kidd.

So there is no question what the Nets would have done. Forget that stuff about taking a stand and showing who runs the organization. It's no secret. As Bill Clinton would tell you: It's the players, stupid.

Magic Johnson fired his coach after the Lakers won the championship and everyone survived. Penny Hardaway did it when he was big. It's like former Pistons coach Chuck Daly said, that he was fortunate in Detroit because the players allowed him to coach them. They didn't have to.

Though there's no doubt Kidd has had issues with Scott. In fact, Scott even conceded he had issues with Scott. Scott admitted as much in a State of the Nets talk after the Kidd imbroglio quieted some. He said he's somewhat stubborn, that he needs to be more "taskmaster" than the CEO-like coach he's been, that he'll be more hands on.

You have to wonder whether Eddie Jordan regrets jumping for the Wizards' job in which he now has to figure out a way to get Jerry Stackhouse, Larry Hughes and Gilbert Arenas to share the ball.

The general consensus was Jordan was the COO that Scott wasn't, running the practices, calling the plays, making the speeches and mollifying the talent. Some assistants are better salesmen and PR guys than coaches, and many have that knife while the coach thinks he's getting a pat on the back.

But there's no question Scott has big-time enemies in the Nets' organization. This has gone back months when it was reported earlier this year that Kidd had issues with Scott. It bubbled over again after the Finals loss with alleged quotes from an angry Kidd that his son T.J. could have coached better. And not because he was on TV as much.

A lot of this coaching second-guessing seemed to center on Kerry Kittles not coming back into the game quickly enough when the Spurs closed out the Nets for the championship. So Kittles was supposed to save the Nets? Hmmm. The only way he could have done that, by my estimate, was tackle Kenyon Martin to keep him from taking all those ridiculous shots.

Nevertheless, the bombardment of Scott came. There were quotes questioning Scott's work ethic and colorful descriptions of Scott sitting around with his arms crossed and leaving early to play golf, with his biggest decisions being what suit to wear and what movie to go to that night.

It was very funny stuff. Since the quotes were anonymous, Kidd, general manager Rod Thorn and Scott rejected them, suggesting they were inaccurate or fabricated.

	So why should the players listen to Scott? It's always the danger of a coach working in the last year of his contract. It's multiplied this time because there perhaps never has been a series of attacks and innuendo against a sitting coach like there has been against Scott.

That's always the danger when anonymous quotes are used: Is there any credibility? There were quotes from so-called sources in several New York area newspapers. And we know how those tabloid newspapers operate, right? I know many of those writers, and I hope they don't take this the wrong way, but they're not smart enough to make up such clever statements.

What it suggests is Scott has people around him who are gunning for him. Players perhaps, maybe staff or management types.

What it's all produced is a weakened leader. One who clearly cannot have management's confidence. If he did, he'd certainly get a contract extension. After all, the team is pretty much in place. Kidd is signed for six years and Mourning for four. All it suggests is management isn't sure it wants Scott as Kidd and Mourning's leader.

So why should the players listen to Scott? It's always the danger of a coach working in the last year of his contract. It's multiplied this time because there perhaps never has been a series of attacks and innuendo against a sitting coach like there has been against Scott. Accusation of alleged lack of confidence from the star player. Allegations of sloth-like behavior, indifference and simplicity. And that was just from his family. No, we think they're on his side. But hardly anyone else seems to be, with denials from everyone aside.

Actions speak louder than words. I know I heard that somewhere.

Now, no one on the Nets can be sure who else is on Scott's side, or if anyone else is. Thorn was indignant about all this and clearly took the "no one is forcing me into doing anything" position.

That's fine until November. Or until that first Western Conference trip.

Scott isn't a lame duck. He's a dead duck if he doesn't get that extension soon.

But worse, the Nets' season will fall with him. No team can endure the distraction of a coach under seige -- the second guessing and wondering when and if something will happen.

The Nets thought they saved the season when they re-signed Kidd. That just saved the franchise. To save the season, they need to fire Scott or give him an extension soon.

Sam Smith, who covers the NBA for the Chicago Tribune, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.