Mikhail Prokhorov is the richest owner in all of sports, $700 million richer than Paul Allen and multiple times richer than Mark Cuban.  He's written hundreds of millions of dollars worth of checks for the Nets and been seen on massive billboards and "60 Minutes" and the cover of the New York Times Sunday Magazine.

But to Adrian Wojnarowski, Prokhorov is close to being seen as a joke.  In a devastating essay, Woj calls the Nets owner "desperate" and says of the 'Melo Drama, "This has become pure folly, and the Nets have allowed themselves to become the punch line."  Woj writes of the trade talks, "If the Nets truly need to sell Carmelo Anthony on accepting the trade and signing a contract extension, they’re a bigger lost cause than they’ve ever been".

Moreover, he says the Nets just keep giving in their trade talks. Now, they've agreed to add three first round picks (including two of their own) and Damion James to the list of Denver's settled demands, having already agreed to give up Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Anthony Morrow, etc., etc.  " "The Nets are behaving in a most desperate way and trying too hard to validate Prokhorov’s relevance in the sport. Anthony treats the Nets like the unattractive girl he refuses to tell his friends he’s seeing on the side"

Meanwhile, other writers in other precincts tell similar tales of desperation on all sides of the 'Melo Drama.

• Nets’ pitch to ’Melo: swing and miss? - Adrian Wojnarowski - Yahoo! Sports
• Carmelo Anthony not into Nets meeting; will it even happen? - Chris Broussard - ESPN
• ‘Melo doesn’t want to talk to Nets - Art Garcia - NBA.com
  
• Do the Nuggets have a Plan B in Carmelo Anthony trade saga? - Benjamin Hochman - Denver Post
• Melo and The Meeting - Al Iannazzone - In the 'Zzone
  
• Nets don't have meeting planned with Anthony: source - Fred Kerber - New York Post Nets Blog
• Anthony deal remains on hold - Fred Kerber - New York Post
  
• Moves for 'Melo? Walsh says Knicks could get two first-round picks - Marc Berman - New York Post Knicks Blog
• Walsh: I can trade for first-round pick - Mark Herrmann - New York Newsday
  
• Johnson does not think Nets have permission to talk to Carmelo - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
• Nets coach has no knowledge of 'Melo meeting - AP
• The Nets Reportedly Expect to Meet With Carmelo, But Does Carmelo Want to Meet With the Nets? - Joe DeLessio - New York Magazine
• Carmelo Anthony Needs to Make Up His Mind - Josh Alper - NBC New York