Imagine Mikhail Pro khorov moments before Wednesday’s provocative press conference. He calls Jay-Z and raps, ” ‘Melo! We off that!”
As dramatically startling as the news of Prokhorov’s command decision was to terminate the Nets’ interminable negotiations with the Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony, I was disappointed the team’s Russian ruler didn’t take off his shoe while delivering that message and bang it repeatedly on the table.
More than a few poker players are positive Prokhorov’s position is purely a ploy, a bluff to notify the Nuggets the Nets aren’t as desperate as they perceive, and that they have no intention to surrender whatever it takes to secure a franchise face.
“I don’t believe it’s over,” e-mailed an old hand in the delicate art of European haggling. “They’re still in it! That’s why they call it Russian Roulette.”
If only I could relate to such incurable cynicism. But I believe I know better.
What if I told you the Nets are no longer trying to exchange Troy Murphy’s $11.986 million expiring contract on the Pistons (for Rip Hamilton), the third team in the public, months-long ogled threesome?
What if the 6-10 offshore driller gets traded soon to the Cavaliers or the Knicks or some other team . . . other than the Nuggets?
Would that persuade you Prokhorov says what he means and means what he says?
Trade or no trade for Murphy, did you check out his Bernard King-like game face when he feels he’s being exploited? Until he crosses us over, I’m taking Prokhorov at his word . . . despite the fact his decision cuts his team’s throat for the immediate future and promises to put its soon-to-be borough arch-enemy on the layup line to scoring ‘Melo.
“We just caught our biggest break since getting Patrick Ewing in the ’85 [freeze-dried] lottery,” one Knicks fan rejoiced yesterday.
Unless Anthony undergoes a sudden, transplanted change of heart prior to the Feb. 24 trade deadline and settles on signing a three-year, $65 million extension with the almost fully healthy, title-contending Nuggets . . . or consents to sign a similar contract with a team other than his first choice, the New York Knicks are on the clock.
By default, but on the clock.
Team president Donnie Walsh now gets his best shot to extricate Carmelo from Denver. Before the Nets bailed, I can tell you with certainty the Nuggets were not all that interested in what the Knicks had to offer in terms of players, expiring contracts and potential first-round picks.
I doubt management’s posture has changed all that much, but you’ve got to figure owner Josh Kroenke and general manager Masai Ujiri will be a little more receptive at this point. Particularly since the two men, having accepted Anthony’s longing to play in his hometown and honored his decision to leave the team, are trying to accommodate his wishes.
Still, Kroenke and Ujiri are determined not to shortchange the organization. Or, worse yet, lose Anthony to free agency and risk getting the kind of compensatory charity — trade exceptions and meaningless draft picks — the Raptors and Cavaliers got when Chris Bosh and LeBron James signed with the Heat.
So, if the Nuggets continue to reject what Walsh has in his bare cupboard, he has 34 days (probably much fewer) to exhume other takers for Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Landry Fields and the expiring contracts of Eddy Curry and Kelenna Azubuike and turn the whole shebang into an offer Denver won’t be embarrassed to accept.
Why the urgency? Long before the Knicks began losing regularly again, it was pretty obvious to the objective that the window of opportunity to beat the 30-13 Heat is now or maybe never.
Notice how the Heat are struggling when one or more of their Big 3 is gimpy or in civvies. A year from now when more complementary pieces are added — players willing to take chump change to help LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Bosh win a championship — or even later this season when Udonis Haslem returns to active duty and Mike Miller’s shooting thumb is functioning correctly, Miami will be able to withstand a critical injury or two for an extended period.
That’s why it’s imperative for Walsh to do whatever has to be done to secure Anthony. Sacrifice the future, forget about targeting Deron Williams or Chris Paul two summers from now — Raymond Felton is more than adequate to go to war with — and recruiting Dwight Howard in July 2012 is merely a dream at this point.
The Knicks’ reality is no different than their priority — Amar’e Stoudemire needs immediate scoring and rebounding help . . . and there’s nobody in the NBA more available and more able than Anthony.
And thanks to Prokhorov slamming the diplomatic door on the Nets’ courtship of Anthony, the Knicks have “ascended” to the throne. Whether he did it for effect is known only to himself and Khrushchev.