Nets Are Scorching

UPDATE: Al Iannazzone now reports that the Nets have hired Billy King to be their new General Manager, rather than hiring him as President. To quote Mikhail Prokhorov:

I am very pleased Billy King is coming on board as Nets general manager. He has all of the qualities we’ve been looking for in a candidate:  professionalism, good relations with the league, players and agents, and strong communications skills.  He will be an excellent fit with Head Coach Avery Johnson. Most importantly, Billy is ambitious.  He wants to win.  This is what I felt when I met with him and why he will be a strong addition to the Nets organization.

NBA.com states King’s experience in the original story as follows:

King’s tenure as the Sixers’ basketball boss was uneven. He was able to surround Allen Iverson with enough talent for the 76ers to make the Finals in 2001 and for Iverson to win league MVP honors that season. But Philly never reached those heights again, as King made a series of questionable financial decisions, including giving journeyman forward Kenny Thomas a $50 million contract and center Samuel Dalembert a $64 million deal. He gambled that Chris Webber and Iverson could coexist when he traded for Webber in 2005, and the team made the playoffs that season. But they didn’t get there in 2006, and by 2007, Webber’s knees had deteriorated to the point where he and the team agreed to a buyout.

After Brown’s departure for Detroit in 2003, King also went through several head coaches, including Randy Ayers, Jim O’Brien and Mo Cheeks.

But King drafted pretty well during his tenure as president, taking forward Andre Iguodala in the first round in 2004, guard Lou Williams in the second round in 2005, guard Thabo Sefolosha in the first round in 2006 and forward Thaddeus Young in the first in 2007.

Now that King has been confirmed as GM instead of President, I’m still not a big fan of this move. Even less so, actually. What do you guys think?

New Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov made some rounds yesterday, talking with his beat reporters and other Nets writers at the Four Seasons hotel and via e-mail. He answered some obvious questions about the team’s search for a new President (UPDATE: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo is reporting Billy King is the front runner with Avery Johnson’s blessing). He’s also very bullish on the team’s “Plan B” roster, despite understanding why fans may be disappointed about striking out on the “big names.”

From the keyboard of the hardest working team blogger in the NBA, Ben Couch: “There is no contradiction between Plan A and Plan B,” said Prokhorov on Tuesday at the Four Seasons. “I think we have great trade opportunities. really good trading assets and a really deep bench. That’s why I’m satisfied. I understand that fans feel a little bit upset, a little angry maybe. But I think they will like this team very soon.”

In an e-mail exchange with NetsDaily, Prokhorov talked about the ideal candidate for team President: “For a championship team, we need a president with a combination of professional skills.  He should be respected in the League, very ambitious and able to work well with Avery Johnson.  We need not only teamwork among the players, but great teamwork on the management side.”

Throughout these interviews, Prokhorov also flashed his personality and sense of humor. When asked about where he was when LeBron James made his announcement to join the Miami Heat: “Prokhorov said that he was asleep in Moscow. “Maybe it will surprise you, but I still keep some assets to work on,” he said.”

When asked about his “Blueprint for Greatness” mural in New York City: “I think Jay and I look really great. I’m looking into the possibility of buying the building and having it shipped back to Moscow,” he said.

About what happens if he fails to get the Nets a championship in five years: “I’m going to get married,” Prokhorov joked, playing to his playboy reputation. “It’s the worst punishment.”

As for his overall message to Nets fans: “Be patient. Support our team. We will win for sure. And, trust me, the next season will be completely different — aggressive, young,” Prokhorov said. “Now we have a really good ambition: to beat Miami Heat.”