Prokhorov on LeBron's "Decision"

[NyCeEvO]

Roundup: NBA team owner backs LeBron James' decision

USA Today Opinion

The players are signed, the "Decision" is made, but the passions around this year's extraordinary class of NBA free agents refuses to die down. What surprises me is the amount of negative commentary directed at the three top free agents (especially LeBron James) who decided to play on the same team and to create a great franchise together. Of course, any club owner dreams of having those players, including me, but all questions of how the announcements were made aside, I respect their choice, and no one has the right to judge them.
I want to say that I support LeBron, the best athlete in the NBA. He had a truly difficult choice to make. Any move he made was sure to be viewed as wrong, and to leave many unhappy fans. Basing his decision on achieving results on the basketball court shows that the sportsman won the day, not the showman or the businessman. What is wrong with that?

We are seeing the birth of a new, dynamic team with such star players, and all of us can await the new season with great anticipation. I wish them success and give them my moral support. I will be happy for us to beat the Miami Heat in the conference finals, maybe not this season, but in the very near future.

Mikhail Prokhorov; Moscow

"I will be happy for us to beat the Miami Heat in the conference finals, maybe not this season, but in the very near future." HAHA!! I really hope that we win soon 1) for the sake of the Nets 2) to hear Proky say "Goal Achieved! I win bet. I stay single and don't get married." Talk about an owner that you love who wasn't done a single thing yet. The confidence, comedy, and creativity of Prokhorov!

He always provides the truth and always makes you laugh. Can we dub him "The most interesting man in the world" for Dos Equis but replace with it some sort of Russian vodka brand please?

[BigWil17]

I've very happy he had this opinion (at least as his public opinion). We definitely want players to feel like our owner is going to have their backs.

[SpeedyG]

Owners take note....that's how you respond. You comment, but don't criticize. You show confidence, but you don't come off threatening.

[MilBucksBackOnTop06]

Frankly your new owner should shut up...

He has only been in the league two weeks or two months and he is already thinking he knows more then anybody else? Who is he the Russian George Steinbrenner? Wait your turn before you make statements like this. And win some games. Even Mark Cuban has not even spoken on this...
I don't care how much money he has brought in the league..sit down and just run your team and not make comments like we don't know how to judge tact, class, and downright staged baffonery this turned out to be, and LeBron is the victim!? Get outta here with that....

Any one who supports LeBron's right to free agency I would not argue with... to a point. But there is a way you go about doing it. There is some kind of ethics and class even to business...And if there is a lack thereof then we do have a right to voice our opinion and judge and weigh in on the entire situation as fans. I am not condemning him, but I am judging him.

But anyone who says as a fan I cannot or should judge a complete dissrespect and mockery this clown made of the game knowing full well he was going to leave the Cavs and was even making a documentary on it to be featured on ESPN for more money and humilation against his OWN HOME TOWN TEAM no less,. . .is a fool! That is as cold as it gets!

First its the Yankess hat at Jacobs Field, and then it is the Cowboys deal in Texas...all for the cameras and all for the circus. And now this, stringing them along for three years. The Cavs should have seen this coming when all three of those guys signed 3 year deals. This was set up from the start. Now I am not even sure LeBron was even trying to win in Cleveland the way his mind works!

Don't tell me what I don't have a right to judge as a paying fan and ticket holder of an NBA team! Especially if you are not from this country, and are new to the NBA yourself! Nothing Lebron did
was right and tasteful but was ruthless and scrupulous which meant it was....BUSINESS.

LeBron did not even give the Cavs a chance to sign and trade him!!! He even took less money to screw his hometown team. LOL...that was almost evil if you ask me seeing how much money will leave that city with him. Even Kareem Abdul Jabbar when he left us (Bucks) in 1976 allowed us to work a trade for him a YEAR IN ADVANCE to either NY or LA and he is the All Time Leader Scorer in NBA history and he hated Milwaukee! We got about 5-6 players whose numbers we have retired and he set us up for Don Nelson's glory teams in the 80's what won 50+ games every year.

At least let them (Cavs) down easy you dog and go out the right way! LOL...and all of you want to defend that!? If that is the case, then I hope the owners don't lock them out for 10 years...and see how they feel!

That is as cutthroat as it gets. Bottom line. I am no idiot. The guy that took more heat then Lebron was Dan Gilbert! If anything Prokhorov should be defending the Cavs owner! Now don't tell me that is good for the NBA and or the game. He could told the Cavs that was his plan and they could have planned around it or made more moves...Good men like Danny Ferry and Mike Brown lost their jobs because of his antics! And you tell me not to have an opinion and view of that as a fan of the NBA!?

Go somewhere and sit down...and count your money and your losses with the Nets my friend. Don't tell me what to think. It is right there in front of you. If you want to kiss up to him, fine. But he has a right to make his 'decision' and then be man enough to accept the criticism and consequences for his decision. You should learn that when you are 5 years old...

Get off on the right foot Mr Prokhorov and learn your place and know your role. It is not speaking for us fans tell us what we have no right to do! We have EVERY RIGHT...to do so!

[enetric]

Take just about every single thing you just said...reverse it....and you would actually have your own mind. Listening to you ramble on about what the media basically led you to think was even more annoying than having to listen to them over and over.

If a team thinks it has the chance to improve itself...it trades players with hesitation. A player owes their team NOTHING in return. You talk about Kareem...but did your team really give a crap about sending Ray Allen to the Sonics? Did you sit down with one of your greatest players ever...and say...Ray...what is best for you? Where would you like us to trade you?

All this yak about what he knew or didn't know before hand. Heat didn't even have the cap space before hand. And in the end...he took significantly LESS than they actually created to do it. No one does that. NO ONE. A willingness to go without knowledge of an S&T is actually impressive. But in the end...an S&T was done. Why? Because even though the Cavs said before free agency began that they wouldn't accommodate him....it was in their best interest to do it.

We have had the tax argument for years, yet Florida, Texas and Canada haven't been grabbing all the free agents for years. I didn't see Rashard Lewis take a penny less when he chose Orlando. I didn't see Vince Carter take less to go home to Orlando when his contract was up...he signed with the Nets for the better CONTRACT.

But a player who actually said...I will put my money where my mouth is? I will go to the smallest market for financial opportunity of all the teams I met with...I will take less to go there than I would have gotten from any of the other teams...because I really believe this is my best chance to win? GOOD FOR HIM. I mean...you are a small market team. Could you ever imagine a star player saying...you know...wow...the Bucks are getting really good. I think I will take less money, sacrifice stats and endorsement opportunities to go there over Chicago. And if he did...would you be calling him a dirt bag for it? HELL NO! You would be rejoicing what a class act, what an impressive thing this was.

You don't need to believe Lebron is a hero....and yes...the televised special didn't sit well with anyone, but in the end...there was no good way to break up with the Cavs or to announce he was going anywhere but home. The only market that was going to be happy was the team that landed him.

Everyone is pissed for one simple reason. They look at the core of that team and suddenly...you look at your rebuilding Bucks team...and we look at our ground up rebuild Nets team and think...to what end? How can we BEAT that team EVER? You feel like your hopes of being a true contender are smashed. You had dreams of Bogut leading that team somewhere special...and now the guy who took less cash to try and win...stands in your way on a level you never could have imagined. That sucks...so it turns you and so many others in to whinny girls. BOO HOO! THAT'S NOT FAIR!!!!


Its exactly how the rest of the country feels when they see the Yankees. The most hated team in the country. People try to come up with ideas for why they hate the Yankees...personality angles...who they think is overrated...arrogance...whatever. But in the end its for one simple reason. ENVY.... PLAIN AND SIMPLE. And you will LOVE Prince Fielder right until the moment he spurns your team to go elsewhere. And he wont do it for less money. He will do it for MORE.

But you know what? It will all be fine for Lebron as long as he wins. You know why? Because winning forgives all in sports. You can cheat on your wife. You can do drugs. You can get arrested for any number of stupid things. You can commit rape. But in the end....they will love you once you win.

And that is a reality Yankee fans know. Jeter can be called the most overrated player in the game in one poll and then rated one of the best in the next from the same polling pool. as those same fans who supposedly hate him....make him an all star every year.

Ever really look at the crowd for a Yankee away game? No team gets booed harder...and cheered for more in the same park than the Yankees on the road. The stands have more Yankee jerseys in it than any other visiting team.

If the Heat win...all will be forgiven. Just look at Kobe who is a far bigger scumbag that would never give up a dollar, was given the only no trade clause in the NBA, all but told management he was gone if they didn't make moves to improve the team...even after he had 3 rings, and did that after the banishing of Shaq as a result of their him or me stance. Yet there is Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Goofus sucking on his rod every game telling me why Kobe is Michael Jordan and that he is the greatest Laker ever...all the while Magic is working the game who was without question in my mind the better player along with several others in NBA history including Shaq, Bird, Kareem, Wilt and so on. But, when you win...so much is forgotten and forgiven.

Win in the this country...and along with the enemies there will be people wearing your jersey's in every city sitting right along side them just as they do for Yankees games.

As for Proky and what he had to say? THAT WAS the very definition of class. You say he should have defended what Gilbert did???? To defend the guy who spurned you...absolutely classy by taking the high road. But what you said? To align yourself with the guy who wanted to give Lebron 130mil right until the moment Lebron decided to take 85-90 from the Heat instead. So he has a meltdown about it? Trashes the guy like he was owed something? Gilbert was pissed his franchise lost value...nothing more. Lebron did more for that franchise and its sports market in 7 years than anyone ever had. He didn't cost that city money. He stopped being their gravy train when it was clear...they didn't have the means to help him win. He carried that garbage team for years. Did all he could.

Wish he had chosen my team...and that he brought one star with him. And if he did...I would be excited at the possibility of MY team trying to trade for Paul to form our own big three. In fact...as that we would have had the means to do it while keeping our best player in Brook...I think our chances of building a dynasty would have been even better. But...he made the choice he wanted to make. Dissapointed...but he has that right. Impresses me a hell of lot more than Joe Johnson and Amare taking the best possible deals they could get for cash I will tell you that.

So quit whining and man up already. What's done is done. Feel free to boo him...but stop lying to yourself. He did nothing wrong. And that so called media telling you he did? They are the same ones who convinced everyone listening to their local broadcasts that he was absolutely coming to THEIR market in the first place. The same media that went to Lebron months ago with the televised idea for the decision in the first place. The same media that all week had us hanging on their every word...with the best market share they had all year as they were telling us what Lebron was going to do...all the while admitting...no one had a clue.

They made money selling him, and hyping the story.....and then they made money tearing him down. Its what they do. Tell people what they want to hear and if the athlete doesn't do what they said he was going to do...take no responsibility....instead BLAME HIM for it. Its brilliant. But do yourself a favor and start to see it. See how it works and stop being a sheep falling for the propaganda.

[lukekarts]

Frankly your new owner should shut up...

He has only been in the league two weeks or two months and he is already thinking he knows more then anybody else? Who is he the Russian George Steinbrenner? Wait your turn before you make statements like this. And win some games. Even Mark Cuban has not even spoken on this...
I don't care how much money he has brought in the league..sit down and just run your team and not make comments like we don't know how to judge tact, class, and downright staged baffonery this turned out to be, and LeBron is the victim!? Get outta here with that....

Any one who supports LeBron's right to free agency I would not argue with... to a point. But there is a way you go about doing it. There is some kind of ethics and class even to business...And if there is a lack thereof then we do have a right to voice our opinion and judge and weigh in on the entire situation as fans. I am not condemning him, but I am judging him.

But anyone who says as a fan I cannot or should judge a complete dissrespect and mockery this clown made of the game knowing full well he was going to leave the Cavs and was even making a documentary on it to be featured on ESPN for more money and humilation against his OWN HOME TOWN TEAM no less,. . .is a fool! That is as cold as it gets!

First its the Yankess hat at Jacobs Field, and then it is the Cowboys deal in Texas...all for the cameras and all for the circus. And now this, stringing them along for three years. The Cavs should have seen this coming when all three of those guys signed 3 year deals. This was set up from the start. Now I am not even sure LeBron was even trying to win in Cleveland the way his mind works!

Don't tell me what I don't have a right to judge as a paying fan and ticket holder of an NBA team! Especially if you are not from this country, and are new to the NBA yourself! Nothing Lebron did
was right and tasteful but was ruthless and scrupulous which meant it was....BUSINESS.

LeBron did not even give the Cavs a chance to sign and trade him!!! He even took less money to screw his hometown team. LOL...that was almost evil if you ask me seeing how much money will leave that city with him. Even Kareem Abdul Jabbar when he left us (Bucks) in 1976 allowed us to work a trade for him a YEAR IN ADVANCE to either NY or LA and he is the All Time Leader Scorer in NBA history and he hated Milwaukee! We got about 5-6 players whose numbers we have retired and he set us up for Don Nelson's glory teams in the 80's what won 50+ games every year.

At least let them (Cavs) down easy you dog and go out the right way! LOL...and all of you want to defend that!? If that is the case, then I hope the owners don't lock them out for 10 years...and see how they feel!

That is as cutthroat as it gets. Bottom line. I am no idiot. The guy that took more heat then Lebron was Dan Gilbert! If anything Prokhorov should be defending the Cavs owner! Now don't tell me that is good for the NBA and or the game. He could told the Cavs that was his plan and they could have planned around it or made more moves...Good men like Danny Ferry and Mike Brown lost their jobs because of his antics! And you tell me not to have an opinion and view of that as a fan of the NBA!?

Go somewhere and sit down...and count your money and your losses with the Nets my friend. Don't tell me what to think. It is right there in front of you. If you want to kiss up to him, fine. But he has a right to make his 'decision' and then be man enough to accept the criticism and consequences for his decision. You should learn that when you are 5 years old...

Get off on the right foot Mr Prokhorov and learn your place and know your role. It is not speaking for us fans tell us what we have no right to do! We have EVERY RIGHT...to do so!

You sound very bitter, but fortunately the poster below you put you in your place

As for the bit I bolded... LeBron was S&T to Miami for two 1sts... :p

[lukekarts]

Oh and I just came here to say it sounds like you guys have a good owner. He'll get respect from a lot of players for those comments.

[NyCeEvO]

Hey MilBucksBackOnTop06,

1) Copy your post into Microsoft Word or WordPad.
2) Print it out.
3) Find out what Prokhorov's mailing address is.
4) Send your rant to him.
5) Delete your post from this thread (although this probably should be step 1)

70% of your post was about your analysis of LeBron's Decision and character, not even about Prokhorov. Notice how he said "Of course, any club owner dreams of having those players, including me, but all questions of how the announcements were made aside, I respect their choice." He is simply saying that he respects the choice to play together, but his opinion on the process of the selection is a different matter. He's respectfully congratulating them while saying that he looks forward to the challenge of beating them.

I'd much rather have an owner who wants to win and is confident that he will than one just collects the checks for running a team. We will try to win some games like you suggested. We will also will TRY to win a championship really soon too. I hope your owner will TRY to do the same thing as well.

[tekkon]

Your owner is alright. That's a great way to express his thoughts.

[mikhailjordan]

Someone is mad their owner signed off on a trade for Corey Maggette and blew mad cash on Drew Badden...

[SpeedyG]

Frankly your new owner should shut up...

He has only been in the league two weeks or two months and he is already thinking he knows more then anybody else? Who is he the Russian George Steinbrenner? Wait your turn before you make statements like this. And win some games. Even Mark Cuban has not even spoken on this...
I don't care how much money he has brought in the league..sit down and just run your team and not make comments like we don't know how to judge tact, class, and downright staged baffonery this turned out to be, and LeBron is the victim!? Get outta here with that....

Any one who supports LeBron's right to free agency I would not argue with... to a point. But there is a way you go about doing it. There is some kind of ethics and class even to business...And if there is a lack thereof then we do have a right to voice our opinion and judge and weigh in on the entire situation as fans. I am not condemning him, but I am judging him.

But anyone who says as a fan I cannot or should judge a complete dissrespect and mockery this clown made of the game knowing full well he was going to leave the Cavs and was even making a documentary on it to be featured on ESPN for more money and humilation against his OWN HOME TOWN TEAM no less,. . .is a fool! That is as cold as it gets!

First its the Yankess hat at Jacobs Field, and then it is the Cowboys deal in Texas...all for the cameras and all for the circus. And now this, stringing them along for three years. The Cavs should have seen this coming when all three of those guys signed 3 year deals. This was set up from the start. Now I am not even sure LeBron was even trying to win in Cleveland the way his mind works!

Don't tell me what I don't have a right to judge as a paying fan and ticket holder of an NBA team! Especially if you are not from this country, and are new to the NBA yourself! Nothing Lebron did
was right and tasteful but was ruthless and scrupulous which meant it was....BUSINESS.

LeBron did not even give the Cavs a chance to sign and trade him!!! He even took less money to screw his hometown team. LOL...that was almost evil if you ask me seeing how much money will leave that city with him. Even Kareem Abdul Jabbar when he left us (Bucks) in 1976 allowed us to work a trade for him a YEAR IN ADVANCE to either NY or LA and he is the All Time Leader Scorer in NBA history and he hated Milwaukee! We got about 5-6 players whose numbers we have retired and he set us up for Don Nelson's glory teams in the 80's what won 50+ games every year.

At least let them (Cavs) down easy you dog and go out the right way! LOL...and all of you want to defend that!? If that is the case, then I hope the owners don't lock them out for 10 years...and see how they feel!

That is as cutthroat as it gets. Bottom line. I am no idiot. The guy that took more heat then Lebron was Dan Gilbert! If anything Prokhorov should be defending the Cavs owner! Now don't tell me that is good for the NBA and or the game. He could told the Cavs that was his plan and they could have planned around it or made more moves...Good men like Danny Ferry and Mike Brown lost their jobs because of his antics! And you tell me not to have an opinion and view of that as a fan of the NBA!?

Go somewhere and sit down...and count your money and your losses with the Nets my friend. Don't tell me what to think. It is right there in front of you. If you want to kiss up to him, fine. But he has a right to make his 'decision' and then be man enough to accept the criticism and consequences for his decision. You should learn that when you are 5 years old...

Get off on the right foot Mr Prokhorov and learn your place and know your role. It is not speaking for us fans tell us what we have no right to do! We have EVERY RIGHT...to do so!

Perhaps you need to read the article again. Let me quote you a specific part in case you missed it...

but all questions of how the announcements were made aside

All Prok was commenting on was how he can respect players turning down bigger markets/more money to be on a winning team. He specifically left out the whole ESPN whoopla/Twitter drama of it all.