The other day, when Mikhail Prokhorov was announcing that he won't be running for Mayor of Moscow and that he was repatriating his interest in the Nets back to Russia, he also responded, in Russian, to some questions about the Nets' new coach.
In one of his interviews Friday, Billy King said of assistant coaches, "There are guys we have targeted and will move as quickly as we can," adding, "some names are true, some are false." Don't be surprised if you see announcements this week.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the NBA will permit Mikhail Prokhorov to move his ownership interest in the Nets to a Russian company so that Prokhorov can comply with a new election law.
In a surprise announcement, Mikhail Prokhorov said he won't run for mayor of Moscow on September 8. He and his lawyers determined it would be virtually impossible for him to repatriate his assets, including the Nets, to "Russian jurisdiction."
The Nets have hired Jason Kidd, the greatest player in franchise history, to be their new head coach. After a month long search, Billy King and Mikhail Prokhorov went with the candidate who is at once most unlikely ... and most obvious.
Milton Lee, who began working with Mikhail Prokhorov's team in the early days of the Russian's interest in the Nets, is being pursued by the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies asked and received the Nets permission to talk with Lee, reports Sam Amick.
If you want an international man of mystery for the Nets coaching job, Mitch Lawrence has your man: Ettore Messina, whose name has been knocking around the coaching speculation for a couple of weeks. He'd be the first international coach in the NBA.
Add September 8 to your Nets calendar. That's the date of the next mayoral election in Moscow, and Mikhail Prokhorov is likely to run.
"We would actually love to see some regular-season games played in Russia, as we have currently in London," Prokhorov said by e-mail to Bloomberg on May 25. "That would be my dream." Prokhorov brought the Nets to Moscow in 2010 for a practice.
Woe is us. ESPN believes that the Nets' spending spree of last summer has condemned the franchise to a future where there is limited opportunity for success. In the annual Future Power Rankings survey, four ESPN analysts rank the Nets only 21st.
It's a "good job," he says. And the Nets are a "good group," he says but P.J. Carlesimo, ever straightforward, sounded off on the difficulties of managing a team with high expectations, players "spin," and the Nets future to beat writers Friday.
Mikhail Prokhorov has said he wants the Nets to win a championship by 2015. He's also said he wants his original $223 million investment in the team and Barclays Center to be worth a billion dollars that same year. The first goal seems fleeting.
Peace Players International is a charity whose aim is using sport to bring together children from different ethnic and religious groups in areas of conflict. Irina Pavlova sits on the group's board of directors. She spoke to Huff Post about the work.
On Saturday, Mikhail Prokhorov confirmed he'll run in Moscow city council elections. Sunday, he told a candidates forum they should understand Russia is "becoming more like the USSR." In short, he's becoming more politically active again.
In an extensive interview with a Russian business magazine, Irina Pavlova says that while the Nets aren't making money (yet), the value of the team is now between $700 and $800 million, up from the $220 million Mikhail Prokhorov laid out in 2010.
JAy-Z has released a statement on his selling of his Brooklyn Nets ownership shares. On his website he writes that he's proud to have been able to work with such a great team and wishes the Nets luck in the NBA playoffs.
Marc Stein, in a summary of possible off-season moves, provides little hope for P.J. Carlesimo returning as Nets coach, adding that he expects Mikhail Prokhorov to move quickly "after the Nets' elimination" to pursue a new head coach.
Chris Charlier, the Nets CEO, told the New York-based France-Amérique, that the move to Brooklyn has "increased by ten times the marketing potential of the team" adding "If we sell the franchise today, we would have a huge increase in re-sale value."
In an interview on the YES Network, P.J. Carlesimo says the last question Mikhail Prokhorov asks about any player the Nets are considering is this: "Is he gonna be a good piece on us winning a championship?" Everything else is secondary, says P.J.
While talking about Mikhail Prokhorov's willingness to spend money, P.J. Carlesimo put in a good word, in a joking manner, for himself. He said spending money is the best thing an owner can do, other than "Giving a coach a long-term contract."
Mikhail Prokhorov will have to pay $12.8 million in luxury taxes, reports CBA guru Larry Coon. Specifically, writes Coon, Brooklyn with a payroll of $83,110,234, with pay out $12,803,234 in taxes. Over four years, he could pay $100 million.
How much to take away from Brett Yormark's refusal to endorse the job P.J. Carlesimo has done this season as interim coach? When Stefan Bondy asked the CEO of the Nets and Barclays for an appraisal of Carlesimo's job, he politely declined. Big deal?
Mikhail Prokhorov graces the cover of Forbes billiionaire edition, the one that ranks the richest people on earth. In this year's list, Prokhorov ranks 69th, down from 58th, but still worth $13 billion. In Forbes he talks about his passion, the Nets
There are strong hints in Russia media that Mikhail Prokhorov will run for Mayor of Moscow. A billionaire mayor of a major city? Come on! Uh, wait a minute. Never mind. Prokhorov reportedly would like to model his run on Michael Bloomberg's.
Adam Silver, the incoming NBA commissioner, told reporters Saturday that the Nets and Knicks have submitted applications to host the 2015 NBA All-Star Game, and that it's likely that the game will be held at Atlantic and Flatbush or 33rd and 7th.
Mikhail Prokhorov promises dire consequences if his teams don't win it all. He's said he'll marry if the Nets don't win a title by 2015. With the Winter Olympics a year away, he's said he'll quit the Biathlon Union if Russia doesn't win two golds.
