There isn’t much missing from the brand-new Barclays Center, but Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov walked into a reminder before last night’s game against the Timberwolves that the Nets’ new home does not have everything they wanted.
Walking through the parking lot of the arena, the Russian owner ran into Andrei Kirilenko and had a friendly but short conversation with his countryman, months removed from an unsuccessful attempt to sign the versatile forward in the offseason.
Hours later, Prokhorov was reminded why.
Helping erase a 22-point deficit, the former All-Star helped complete a stunning second-half comeback with an all-around performance that was classic Kirilenko, finishing with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, 10 rebounds, six assists and four blocks, as the undermanned Timberwolves won, 107-96.
“Oh, he definitely was on our list. Oh, yeah,” Nets coach Avery Johnson said before the game. “That guy, with a skill set like that? I’ve always been a fan. He plays hard, he plays defense, he dives on the floor, he blocks shots, he goes back door, he’s improved his shot. … When he was in Utah, I thought he was awfully good when he was healthy, so there was some discussion.”
Because the Nets already had agreed to over $300 million in guaranteed contracts in the offseason, the team had limited salary-cap flexibility. Kirilenko signed a two-year, $20 million contract with Minnesota, returning for his 11th NBA season after spending last season playing with CSKA Moscow.
Deron Williams, who spent the majority of his first six seasons playing with Kirilenko in Utah, knew how well Kirilenko’s selfless style could have fit in Brooklyn and tried to recruit him.
“He looks good,” Williams said. “He fills up stat sheets. That’s what he does. He’s solid all-around, can do so many things on the floor. He’s a great piece for them. … We just didn’t have enough money. I mean, that’s not a secret.”
Neither is Kirilenko’s ability when healthy. Though limited to an average of 63 games over his past seven seasons in the NBA, the 31-year-old said he feels great after a less grueling schedule in Europe and showed no signs of slowing down, running the floor and attacking the glass on nearly every possession.
With Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio sidelined, Kirilenko has been a steadying presence for a team on the fringe of playoff conversations. He is averaging 14.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.7 blocks through three games.
Kirilenko told Prokhorov he was very impressed with the Barclays Center, but the forward did not want to discuss how seriously he considered coming to the Nets, which would have required him to take the veteran’s minimum.
He said he is happy in Minnesota and even more so seeing the impact Prokhorov has had on the growth of basketball in Russia.
“I think he’s a huge impact,” Kirilenko said. “I think it’s a great platform for the Russian talent to get to the NBA because of a Russian owner. The scouts probably look a little bit closer because they want to bring the Russian talent to have him play for the Russian owner.”