New Owner, New Outlook and Hopes for Nets?
With an agreement for Russian oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov to purchase controlling interest of the team, the fortunes of the New Jersey Nets changed dramatically. The Nets have gone from the franchise with the biggest debt in the league to the franchise with the richest owner. And with that, the team’s chances of finally getting to Brooklyn have increased. The move to New York has faced two obstacles: financing and an eminent domain hearing set for Oct. 14. The financing was the bigger obstacle of the two, and that doesn’t seem to be an issue anymore, with Prokhorov agreeing to acquire 45 percent of the new Barclays Center.
New Jersey has a promising young core with All-Star Devin Harris and big man Brook Lopez, but could have put itself in a better position this summer by trimming some roster fat with a buyout or two and acquiring additional building blocks. That, of course, would have required a willingness to spend. Given the Nets’ financial situation, they didn’t sign a single free agent.
In fact, Nets fans have never liked current owner Bruce Ratner. From Day 1, many have believed that Ratner’s reasons for buying the team in 2004 had little to do with basketball. His main reason for owning a team, according to his detractors, was to develop 22 acres in Brooklyn with an arena as the centerpiece.
Even if the financial handcuffs were immediately taken off, it’s too late to add an impact player for this season without sacrificing future cap space. Which means this season’s focus likely will be developing the youngsters and proving to future free agents that they can contend for a championship in Brooklyn with the Nets’ supporting cast. With Prokhorov, the Nets will have an owner who cares about hoops and should allow Thorn, to do what it takes to fully rebuild the team.
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Posted by Denz
on Sep 26 2009. Filed under Headlines, sports headlines.
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