You don’t become a bil lionaire without having the guts to make some tough decisions even if they fly in the face of logic.
On a night billed as “an Evening of Russian Culture,” Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov yesterday proved he carries an iron fist and isn’t afraid to make a call that might upset his fan base and hurt his team’s potential for immediate success.
In announcing the Nets will no longer pursue Carmelo Anthony, Prokhorov stunned the NBA world where players and agents own much of the power, forcing media and teams to cater to their every whim.
By saying enough is enough he took a surprising and unconventional stand that should be applauded even if it means watching bad basketball in Newark for a while.
“I’m not happy with the way this deal has gone,” Prokhorov said of the talks for Anthony, which has controlled the Nets’ universe for virtually the entire season. “It has taken way too long.”
Anyone who has followed this odyssey would have made the same assessment. But Prokhorov put an exclamation point on his frustration by instructing general manager Billy King to “walk away from the deal.”
In essence, Prokhorov told Anthony to take his basketball and shove it.
A proposed meeting between the Nets brass and Anthony was subsequently canceled, with Prokhorov promising he won’t revisit the deal should the Nuggets and Anthony want to reopen talks.
“I think I’ve made myself clear,” the owner said.
Bravo for him.
Anthony’s wishy-washy approach to his impending free agency has bordered on self-indulgent. Make up your mind already. Do you want to play for the Nets or the Knicks? The Nets made up his mind for him.
Prokhorov blamed the trade talks and rumors of which players might be involved as a reason for the Nets’ 11-31 record after last night’s 103-95 victory over the Jazz at Prudential Center.
“It’s taking a toll on the players and has cost us several games,” he said.
And he was clearly frustrated by the misinformation being spread on a daily if not hourly basis.
“All the information was mixed,” he said.
Some would suggest that’s life in the modern NBA, where trades for marquee players usually involve multiple teams and take time to complete. Anthony would have been the centerpiece of the Nets’ blueprint for building a championship contender, a marquee name when the team moves to the new arena in Brooklyn after next season.
Now Prokhorov’s decision all but hands him to the rival Knicks, who have been crossing their fingers hoping something like this would happen.
Prokhorov said he has “no concerns” about Anthony winding up at the World’s Most Famous Arena.
“I feel very comfortable with our strategy,” he said.
The strategy will center on the use of what King described as “unbelievable cap space, unbelievable flexibility and unbelievable [draft] picks.”
The Nets do have those assets, but whether they result in a player of Anthony’s caliber remains to be seen. It certainly won’t happen anytime soon.
Still, Prokhorov stuck to his prediction the Nets would win a world championship within five years. And King backed his owner by pointing to the Celtics, who turned their team into an NBA champion with the addition of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen before the 2007-2008 season, while the Heat, added LeBron James and Chris Bosh during this offseason.
“It can happen in this league,” King said of instant success. “You’ve seen it happen.”
Right now, the Nets aren’t on the radar for making the playoffs much less winning a championship. Yet, Prokhorov and King seem on the same page, favoring a cautious approach.
“I don’t want us to make a serious mistake,” Prokhorov said.
How’s that for an evening of Russian culture?