Nets’ pursuit of LeBron: From Russia, with love

[lurker23]

Yahoo! Sports article from Adrian Wojnarowski, and quite a good one if you ask me. Kind of long, so I only copy/pasted the first half. Other half of the article at the link.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AmPnHckmIGr2TWtZoDD3OBG8vLYF?slug=aw-lebronnets092309&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Once LeBron James meets Mikhail Prokhorov, the superstar’s sightline will reflect an unprecedented visage. When offering a global vision of business and basketball, here’s an NBA owner who can look James in the eyes. Russia’s richest man is 6-foot-7 with an air of cool and a tenacity of the streets.

For James, there’s a chance that Prokhorov won’t seem like a stranger from a faraway place but rather a reflection of himself. Together, they are creations of their own industry and connected through a need for global conquest. All along, James has craved something bigger of basketball fame and fortune.

Once, it was Nets’ part-owner Jay-Z who planned to escort LeBron into Brooklyn. Now, this strapping 44-year-old Russian oligarch with an estimated fortune north of $9 billion has arrived in the NBA threatening to make Mark Cuban and Paul Allen feel like mom-and-pop store owners. Prokhorov comes with a flair and a steely obsession with winning.

Suddenly, his arsenal and ambition make him the most dangerous man in basketball.

“He has the personality, the charisma and the wherewithal to reach any of the league’s young stars on a level that I don’t think other owners can,” David Vanterpool said by phone Wednesday. “He likes to go out. He likes to fly to Europe and go to the most exclusive resorts. He’s going to connect with these guys.

“I would think right now that a lot of people in the NBA would be scared to death of this guy, if for nothing else the unknown of what he might do here.”

Vanterpool played two seasons for Prokhorov’s powerhouse CSKA in Moscow, winning Euroleague and Russian championships. These past two years, Vanterpool, who played for Detroit and Washington in the NBA, had a job on the CSKA bench as an assistant coach. He had heard the talk for years about his old boss wanting an NBA team, and finally Prokhorov made an offer that Nets beleaguered owner Bruce Ratner couldn’t refuse.

With lingering suggestions of possible underworld ties, there are some suggesting the Russian won’t pass the NBA vetting process. As long as his issues don’t spill into the public eye, no one should expect the commissioner’s office to dig them up. As vetting processes go, most expect this one to bring all the tenacity of a Michael Jordan gambling investigation.

And anyway, NBA ownership is hardly an exclusive club. For every upstanding Abe Pollin, there are far too many scoundrels, slime balls and empty suits. Prokhorov has posted $700 million to spare this sorry franchise, and the league will live with whatever ethical lapses befell him on his rise to becoming Russia’s richest billionaire.

For the NBA, James and Dwyane Wade(notes) and Chris Bosh(notes) – the Class of 2010 – are in play again in New York. The Knicks and Nets have cap space, and just maybe a star or two will come save the world’s biggest market.

The NBA has become a recession-ridden league with owners slashing roster payrolls and front-office staff. Owners are begging for commissioner David Stern to crush the Players Association in collective bargaining with a bigger percentage of league revenue and perhaps even a hard salary cap. As long as these CBA rules are in place, Prokhorov can offer the New York stage with unlimited resources. Cablevision reached its spending breaking point with the New York Knicks, but the days of the Nets as a cash-strapped punch line are over.

This Russian is liable to treat $70 million luxury-tax payments like drops in the Jersey Turnpike toll buckets.

“If he sees something as a reasonable, smart move, then money won’t be an issue,” Vanterpool said. “I don’t see the luxury tax affecting him. You’re talking about a billionaire who will take a two-week vacation that ends up costing him $10 million. He’ll do whatever it takes to win, and win big.”


http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AmPnHckmIGr2TWtZoDD3OBG8vLYF?slug=aw-lebronnets092309&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[23LeBronJames23]

Who thinks Devin harris and LeBron James would be a better team than Mo Williams and LeBron James?

[Chieflion]

Who thinks Devin harris and LeBron James would be a better team than Mo Williams and LeBron James?
You just owned yourself. Devin Harris is better than Mo Williams. Plus, the Nets have Brook Lopez, Terrence Williams and CDR.

[Thunder Dan]

Adrian Wojnarowski wrote an article last year about how Lebron was going to play for the Pistons. anyone remember that one? He just write articles about Lebron to get his name out there

[Basketballgirl25]

You just owned yourself. Devin Harris is better than Mo Williams. Plus, the Nets have Brook Lopez, Terrence Williams and CDR.
:toast

[nuclearfm]

Let's just hope that stereotypical Russian on black racism is kept minimal.

[024]

cavs fans should be extremely nervous now. if the cavs don't win the championship, it's over. lebron will have no reason to stay on a team with no future. cavs will have to be reconstructed in 2010 anyways because shaq and big Z both have expiring contracts. lebron is not going to wait around to see what happens. on the other hand, the nets with lopez, harris, lee, and their other young talents combined with a billionaire owner can fund and compete for a championship for years and years to come.

[lurker23]

Adrian Wojnarowski wrote an article last year about how Lebron was going to play for the Pistons. anyone remember that one? He just write articles about Lebron to get his name out there

To be fair, he only uses LeBron's name in the headline to get your attention. Only about 10% of the article is about LeBron, while the other 90% is about Prokhorov and what the guy is like both as a person and an owner.

[2Cleva]

I posted that same article here

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135455

But yeah - Cleveland is in trouble. Nyets will have enough cap space to sign LeBron and Bosh to max deals, while still keeping Harris, Lee, and Lopez. And with Jay-Z still part owner, LeBron would be well on his way to that global icon desire.

[Indazone]

ahh this thread makes me warm all over lol. Thunderdan on suicide watch.

[DPG21920]

If Lebron goes somewhere, and that is a big if, the Nets seem like the ideal place. Not only are they young, but they have win now talent that plays on both sides of the ball inside of that youth. Plus, all of the pieces are non-ego guys for the most part and they would have money to max out Lebron and nearly another player.

Not only would the offense improve greatly, but the defense would be very good as well:

PG - Harris (good defender)
SG - Lee (solid defender)
SF - Lebron (very good defender)
PF - ???
C - Lopez (good defender)

Depending on what they were looking for, they could sign a solid PF and have a sick team. Being in Brooklyn is not so bad either for those that buy into Bron in NY. Imagine if they pulled off a Joe Johnson / Lebron signing? You then have Lee as the 6th man. Not too bad.

[Indazone]

oh and don't they have that stellar power forward by the name of Yi Jian-lian

[2Cleva]

LeBron and Bosh have talked about playing together next year (no, no link but I trust my source).

They can dump Yi and bring in Bosh. Right now, if the cap comes in at the lowest projection of $50 mil, NJ will have $32+ mil in cap space - enough for 2 max deals. With all the young talent they have, S&T will be easy as well. Guys like Yi, Williams, Douglas-Roberts, etc... could be included.

Harris, Lee, LeBron, Bosh, and Lopez. They'd be right there as runner-up to the Lakers.

[Morg1411]

I posted that same article here

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135455

But yeah - Cleveland is in trouble. Nyets will have enough cap space to sign LeBron and Bosh to max deals, while still keeping Harris, Lee, and Lopez. And with Jay-Z still part owner, LeBron would be well on his way to that global icon desire.

Nyets. Love it.


LeBron and Bosh have talked about playing together next year (no, no link but I trust my source).

They can dump Yi and bring in Bosh. Right now, if the cap comes in at the lowest projection of $50 mil, NJ will have $32+ mil in cap space - enough for 2 max deals. With all the young talent they have, S&T will be easy as well. Guys like Yi, Williams, Douglas-Roberts, etc... could be included.

Harris, Lee, LeBron, Bosh, and Lopez. They'd be right there as runner-up to the Lakers.

That would be a bad-ass line up.

[23LeBronJames23]

You just owned yourself. Devin Harris is better than Mo Williams. Plus, the Nets have Brook Lopez, Terrence Williams and CDR.

how the fuck i owned my self by askin a quistion dumb ass...

[jonnybravo]

I posted that same article here

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135455

But yeah - Cleveland is in trouble. Nyets will have enough cap space to sign LeBron and Bosh to max deals, while still keeping Harris, Lee, and Lopez. And with Jay-Z still part owner, LeBron would be well on his way to that global icon desire.

I'm not sure they can sign both to max next year. The Cap is going to shrink pretty significantly. Heck, we don't even know how the next CBA is going to look.

Regardless, I still agree, Cleveland is in trouble.

[manny]

Let's just hope that stereotypical Russian on black racism is kept minimal.
definitely media propaganda.. I went over there to a lot of cities and im latin but quite dark, and the other friends I went with were also either latin or black, so many beautiful girls :). cant wait to go back again.

BTW theres actually black basketball players, Viktor Keirou was born in Rostov-On-Don, Russia (his dad is from Sierra Leone and his mom is from Russia) plays for CSKA Moscow:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Nhm0CsdwwUk/SRihG2SKkxI/AAAAAAACIHA/Ohjw19mW0H8/1770
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/9439/viktorkeirou.jpg

[#2!]

Most enticing place for Lebron (i can't believe i'm so bored w/ the offseason i'm particpating in a "what if lebron..." thread:lol) and the NBA and its fans has got to be the nets. of course that depends on this guy hiring a good coach and gm but the article makes that sound likely.

if you take all of their young talent (at least 3 players below 26 that are already starter talent) and add a year, Lebron, maybe another star(I liked the idea some one had for JJ), a decent coach, and a few veterans/role players you, you lucky bastard, have a shot at an NBA dynasty.

Note: that year I mentioned would be especially important for Devin Harris to have the experience of being the clear cut "man" on a team.

[baseline bum]

LeBron and Bosh have talked about playing together next year (no, no link but I trust my source).

They can dump Yi and bring in Bosh. Right now, if the cap comes in at the lowest projection of $50 mil, NJ will have $32+ mil in cap space - enough for 2 max deals. With all the young talent they have, S&T will be easy as well. Guys like Yi, Williams, Douglas-Roberts, etc... could be included.

Harris, Lee, LeBron, Bosh, and Lopez. They'd be right there as runner-up to the Lakers.

Harris is owed just under $9 million. Dooling about $3.8M. Najera $2.8M. Of course they'll pick up the options on Lopez and Lee at $2.4M and $1.35M. That's $19.35M already, with 6 roster spots under 11. Add in James' max money of 105% of $15.779M (his 09-10 salary) and you're at $35.9M. Now add in 5 roster spots under 11 at about $450K a pop (no need for the sixth since they now have James) and you're up to $38.2M. To afford Bosh's 105% of $15.779M, the Nets would need the cap to come in at $54.7 million or more.

[Thunder Dan]

I'm not scared of him leaving. This is all media talk and speculation, everything else points to him wanting to stay from what his mom says, uncle says, friends say.. and even he says to people off the record.

All this is coming from a bunch of people who aren't from, or have never been to Ohio. We realize it's not the greatest place, but being from here makes it home. You all can speculate all you want, but there won't be an arena in Brooklyn next Summer, and despite what you say about Cleveland, it looks like paradise compared to Newark New Jersey

[2Cleva]

Harris is owed just under $9 million. Dooling about $3.8M. Najera $2.8M. Of course they'll pick up the options on Lopez and Lee at $2.4M and $1.35M. That's $19.35M already, with 6 roster spots under 11. Add in James' max money of 105% of $15.779M (his 09-10 salary) and you're at $35.9M. Now add in 5 roster spots under 11 at about $450K a pop (no need for the sixth since they now have James) and you're up to $38.2M. To afford Bosh's 105% of $15.779M, the Nets would need the cap to come in at $54.7 million or more.

I expect NJ to deal away Dooling and/or Najera - tying them up with a young guy like Yi to get it done.

[2Cleva]

I'm not scared of him leaving. This is all media talk and speculation, everything else points to him wanting to stay from what his mom says, uncle says, friends say.. and even he says to people off the record.

All this is coming from a bunch of people who aren't from, or have never been to Ohio. We realize it's not the greatest place, but being from here makes it home. You all can speculate all you want, but there won't be an arena in Brooklyn next Summer, and despite what you say about Cleveland, it looks like paradise compared to Newark New Jersey

I am from and live in Ohio. Also covered the Cavs personally for a few years while LeBron was there and have followed him since he was in HS.

[Basketballgirl25]

I'm not scared of him leaving. This is all media talk and speculation, everything else points to him wanting to stay from what his mom says, uncle says, friends say.. and even he says to people off the record.

All this is coming from a bunch of people who aren't from, or have never been to Ohio. We realize it's not the greatest place, but being from here makes it home. You all can speculate all you want, but there won't be an arena in Brooklyn next Summer, and despite what you say about Cleveland, it looks like paradise compared to Newark New Jersey

I have to say, I'd agree with you about not being scared of him leaving if I was a Cavs fan. I'm a Nets fan and I am sick of tired and people saying he is coming to the Nets or Knicks. Maybe he is and maybe he isn't no one knows for sure besides him. If he comes to the Nets great, if he doesn't not the end of the world, one player doesn't win it all by himself