Nets Sale

[Andrew McCeltic]

This Russian billionaire guy is going to have an 80% stake, and provide funding for a Brooklyn arena? Could rekindle those Lebron-to-Nets rumors...

[hairybyrd]

Nope.

[sully00]

Absolutely. They essentially will be a brand new spanking team with Devin Harris under contract. Add a billionaire owner who isn't even afraid to go to jail to make his boys happy and what is the CBA going to do to stop him. Screw private jets for road trips this guy is private jets with hookers.

I don't think LeBron is leaving but if he is this is were he is going.

[C-West]

Net sale??? I'd say Net Gain.

Yea, this makes a difference. Look what happened to Chelsea after another Russian billionaire took them over. These guys are serious about their sports teams and not affraid to spend. If LeBron was interested in the Brooklyn Nets before, he's certainly more interested now.

[John Locke]

In football (soccer) it's a little different, because you can "buy" players (you pay the other team a large amount of money and then you can sign their player. There are no salary-cap restriction or nothing of that nature).
Chelsea have bought players like there is no tomorrow (especially a few years back, when they were building the team). And the word on the streets is that the Russian owner is spending money on players as a part of a money laundering scheme (it has even been suggested in Radio Talk-shows).
When Russian companies were privatized a few guys got a whole lot richer in a very short span of time. And some people think that how some of them gained money was illeagal.

I don't know anything about this owner, so I can't say anything about his intentions. I just hope he can get the Nets to Brooklyn, because I think it will be nice to see a franchise there.

[Kefa461]

The Nyets.......

[Andrew McCeltic]

Does the league have to approve the Nets' sale?

For those who think Lebron going to Brooklyn is impossible- Kobe Bryant supposedly came close to signing with the Clippers a few years back, in an oddly similar situation- going to the second-rank team in a big market, joining a young, inexpensive roster..

The Nets' chances are good to do something- everyone remembers the Krause Bulls' summer of free agent strikeouts, but that same offseason, the Magic did what no one predicted and inked both Grant Hill and Tracy Mcgrady. And last summer had Elton Brand's inexplicable jump to the Sixers.

[GuyClinch]

ALOT of money needs to be put into Brooklyn to make the stadium deal work - if they plan to move. Its not exactly a good area. Most people around here were convinced the current owners were just blowing smoke and working some real estate angle (rezoning and or tax breaks) rather then being serious about a new stadium.

I sure wouldn't mind it though..where I live it would be easier to get down to Brooklyn to see the C's play then it is to go to MSG (which is massively overpriced)..

Pete

[UGA Hayes]

The league must really want the NETS in Brooklyn b/c this guy sounds like Mark Cuban on crack.

[Andrew McCeltic]

To add another wrinkle to it, an article on the wiretap predicts a "dramatically changed" Nets front office. Thorn is the architect of the cheap, talented, young foundation they have in place..

[Inside/Outside]

I don't care what anyone thinks, one of those Russian egg dolls of the Nets' starting lineup would be the best promotional giveaway EVER.

[hairybyrd]

To add another wrinkle to it, an article on the wiretap predicts a "dramatically changed" Nets front office. Thorn is the architect of the cheap, talented, young foundation they have in place..

This is very interesting to me. Remember Rod Thorn used to be the deputy commissioner before he was introduced as the Nets president. Back then I thought something was strange about Thorn's "demotion." I believe that Thorn is privied to some information that, say, other front office execs. are not. I don't really know what to make of this but...

It reminds me of the time when Jerry West resigned as the Lakers GM, took the Memphis job, and then returned to the Lakers as a consultant. Then, magically, Pau Gasol (a former Grizz) was traded to the Lakers for approximately nothing.

Do any conspiracy theorists wish to extend this thought?

[Andrew McCeltic]

Well, my point was that Thorn, whatever inside info he does or doesn't have, may be ousted as team pres., along with Vandeweghe- Sarunas Marcilounis [sic] and Sabonis are mentioned as possible replacements- so who knows what they might do with the roster?

[hairybyrd]

My bad, I misread that. I would be surprised if Thorn was fired.

[NetsForce]

Well, my point was that Thorn, whatever inside info he does or doesn't have, may be ousted as team pres., along with Vandeweghe- Sarunas Marcilounis [sic] and Sabonis are mentioned as possible replacements- so who knows what they might do with the roster?

Pure speculation.

Here's some more speculation though I think Thorn's time as a NBA exec is coming to an end... It's not that he couldn't keep going but it's a general feeling I get when watching him during interviews now compared to when he gave them in the past.