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View Full Version : Russian Billionaire buys New Jersey Nets...approved by the League.


Kingspoint
05-11-2010, 08:16 PM
From Rotoworld w/ Rotoworld comments:

The NBA has officially approved the sale of the Nets to Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.

A New Jersey congressman made a last-ditch effort to stall the deal because of Prokhorov's business dealings in Zimbabwe, but there was little doubt it would eventually be approved. After enduring a miserable 2009-10 season, the Nets have a talented young core, a ton of salary cap space, a temporary new home in Newark, and Prokhorov's deep pockets. May. 11 - 5:50 pm et


David Stern (and anything associated with New Jersey) has never been bereft of "underworld" suspicions.
WVRed
05-11-2010, 08:42 PM
And likely a top three pick in the draft.
Kingspoint
05-11-2010, 08:49 PM
....and some mega-enticements for LeBron.

Can you say Russian Marketing?

A $100M sponsorship contract if he signs with the Nets?
NJReds
05-11-2010, 09:45 PM
Nets could be in good shape. They have room for 2 max contracts, will probably land John Wall in the draft, and have a center (Lopez) and point guard (Harris) in the fold.

Now they have the cash to do as they please.
Chip R
05-11-2010, 09:47 PM
Are they still moving to Brooklyn?
NJReds
05-12-2010, 10:04 AM
Are they still moving to Brooklyn?

I believe so. It's been so back-and-forth with legal issues that I've lost track. But I believe they'll be there in two years.

In the meantime, they'll play in the new arena in Newark, which should allow them to draw much better than in the Meadowlands. The new Newark arena is in the heart of a city (instead of a swamp) and there's a train station across the street. Much easier to get to and from the game.
RichRed
05-12-2010, 01:54 PM
Mike Greenberg said (so it should probably be fact-checked) that if Prokhorov lost two-thirds of his fortune, he'd still have as much money as Mark Cuban. If true, then wow.
pedro
05-12-2010, 01:56 PM
Lebron James is going to look really good in a Brooklyn Dodgers hat.
JaxRed
05-12-2010, 03:23 PM
Only one thing could derail them..... announcing General Manager Isaiah Thomas
NJReds
05-12-2010, 05:46 PM
Only one thing could derail them..... announcing General Manager Isaiah Thomas

He'd be okay if you didn't let him trade. He makes horrible trades.

But in the draft he found Wilson Chandler, David Lee, Nate Robinson all in the late first round. Trevor Ariza in the second round. Channing Frye has turned out okay with the Suns.
Scrap Irony
05-12-2010, 05:54 PM
The Nets might be fun next season. Williams played pretty well as a rookie last season, Harris should be solid, and Lopez isn't bad. Add Wall or Cousins and either Bosh, Wade, Lee, or James and the Nets could go from historically bad to Eastern contender.
Kingspoint
05-13-2010, 01:15 AM
The Nets might be fun next season. Williams played pretty well as a rookie last season, Harris should be solid, and Lopez isn't bad. Add Wall or Cousins and either Bosh, Wade, Lee, or James and the Nets could go from historically bad to Eastern contender.

The Days of Darryl Dawkins!

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:TwN8C2aUFjtCpM:http://hoopedia.nba.com/images/a/a0/DawkinsGlass.jpg