ATLANTA (AP) – The Atlanta Hawks are willing to wait for Kenyon Martin.

The New Jersey Nets’ free agent was expected to leave Atlanta on Saturday with a six-year maximum contract offer – as much as $85 million.

“Going through the process, we let the guy know we have a great town and a great facility and we have an interest in putting the best team together,” Hawks vice president Dominique Wilkins told The Associated Press Saturday.

Martin, however, is a restricted free agent, which means if he signs the Hawks’ offer sheet, New Jersey can take 15 days to decide whether to match it.

By that point, the free agent market may have dwindled considerably. Players can begin signing with new teams on Wednesday, and if the Nets decide on the 15th day to match the offer, Atlanta – and its $20 million in cap space – could be left without a high-profile free agent.

Martin has said he would prefer to remain with New Jersey, but the Nets may not be willing to match a maximum offer. The 6-foot-9 power forward has also visited the Denver Nuggets.

Martin’s visit in Atlanta began Friday, only one day after Mike Woodson was introduced as the Hawks’ new coach. Woodson already had conferred with general manager Billy Knight about the free-agent field, and Martin is an obvious target for a team in need of frontline players.

Martin, a 2004 All-Star, averaged 16.7 points and 9.5 rebounds for the Nets last season. The former Cincinnati standout was the first pick in the 2000 NBA draft, and has helped the Nets reach the NBA Finals twice in four seasons.

Wilkins helped Knight and Woodson present the sales pitch to Martin.

“He’s a tough, hard-nosed guy who comes to play every night,” Wilkins said. “We haven’t had that type of player in a long time. He’s going to bring some toughness and some enthusiasm every night. He’s going to win extra ballgames with that attitude alone.”

AP-ES-07-10-04 1734EDT