Are Nets Scouting Russian Player?

It would be a sweet irony if the player whose draft rights were sold in Bruce Ratner's first cost-cutting move finally joined the Nets under Mikhail Prokhorov.  Add in that he's Russian and it's deliciously so.  Kiki Vandeweghe is at the Euroleague Final Four in Paris this weekend, along with the Nets Euro scout, and there's some suggestion they're scouting that player, CSKA Moscow forward Viktor Khryapa.

As "The Painted Area" reports Friday, "considering that Mikhail Prokhorov signed him at CSKA Moscow, the Nets seem like a reasonable potential landing spot". The 6'9" Khryapa was taken by the Nets with the 22nd pick in the 2004 Draft, then sold to the Blazers for $3 million.  After four years in the NBA with the Blazers and Bulls, he returned to CSKA in early 2008. 

He won a Euroleague title that year and will be playing in another Final Four Friday (3:00 p.m., NBA TV) vs. F.C. Barcelona and Ricky Rubio. Khryapa was recently named the Euroleague Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in steals and defensive rebounds. He finished in the top ten in blocks and assists as well.

• 2010 Euroleague Final Four: Players to Watch - M. Haubs - The Painted Area
• Euroleague Final Four: CSKA Moscow’s Chances - Nick Gibson - SLAM
• Kleiza, Navarro, Khryapa. Ranking the Euroleague’s Best - Nick Gibson - SLAM