Nets on the Net: 3/16/10 Edition
Mar 16, 2010 Devin Harris, Jay-Z, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Terrence Williams
Terrence Williams (more on him later) has some sage-like advice for himself in the latest from Dave D’Alessandro: “I learned you have to keep your mouth shut,” he said. “Honestly, that’s it. Because you get further with silence than you do speaking out or acting out. The lesson taught to me was to pay attention to other guys, and learn from them. I really wasn’t ready for that.”
Fred Kerber with some more TWill money quotes: “I want to get every rebound and every assist in the game. But one, I don’t play the whole game and two, I don’t think Brook [Lopez] would let me get every rebound,” Williams said. “Points will come . . . but assists and rebounds, that’s what I have to do.”
The Nets need three more wins to avoid infamy, but they’ll likely enter tonight’s game with Atlanta without Devin Harris.
NetsDaily continues its breakdown of all things Mikhail Prokhorov.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a little profile on Jay-Z’s business success.
Nets on the Net: 3/11/10 Edition
Mar 11, 2010 Brooklyn, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net
To commemorate today’s groundbreaking in Brooklyn, Sebastian will be liveblogging the ceremony/press conference, so at around 1:30, be sure to check back here frequently for discussion.
Keyon Dooling on Jason Kidd’s performance last night: “He’s got the Fountain of Youth,” Nets guard Keyon Dooling said. “I’m probably going to follow him around this summer, put a private investigating team on him so I can find the fountain of youth as well.”
Before the game, Jason Kidd said he believes the Nets will turn things around because of Mikhail Prokhorov.
Kidd is also happy for the Nets Brooklyn move, according to Al Iannazzone: “They were going to be persistent and they were going to work to get it to Brooklyn,” Kidd said. “I’m happy they finally got into Brooklyn. Maybe they’re unhappy they’re a little bit behind schedule. But they finally got that, which is a huge move and a huge piece. I don’t know how long it’s going to take to build, but it’s good.”
Brett Yormark on WFAN this morning.
Rob Peterson at NBA Fanhouse talks to Mark Cuban about the Nets fortunes: “I said this to Kiki and Rod both,” Cuban said about Nets coach and GM Kiki Vandeweghe and team president Rod Thorn, “there’s about a month, five weeks left in the regular season. In five weeks, them and the Knicks become the darlings of the NBA. They’re all anybody’s going to be talking about in regard to free agency.
Look who’s one of the richest men in the world.
Kobe Bryant has more game winning shots this seaso than the Nets have wins.
Nets on the Net: 3/8/10 Edition
Mar 8, 2010 Chris Douglas-Roberts, Josh Boone, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Terrence Williams, Yi
In a report by Al Iannazzone, John Calipari, who coached Chris Douglas-Roberts at Memphis, still believes in the former All-American: “At the end of the day,” Calipari said, “I think he’s going to be a guy in the league that plays significant minutes, is a significant player, is a starter on a team that’s doing well. I truly believe that.”
Yi Jianlian will not travel with this team on their four game road trip because of his ankle injury.
Terrence Williams and Josh Boone talk with Fred Kerber about their Big East Championship memories.
NetsDaily begins their series on Mikhail Prokhorov, dubbed “the most interesting man in the world.”
Nets on the Net: 3/7/10 Edition
Mar 7, 2010 Chris Douglas-Roberts, Courtney Lee, LeBron James, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Rafer Alston
Over at the 2010 MIT Sloan Sports Conference, where I’m beginning to think I’m the only TrueHooper not in attendance (see some of Sebastian’s coverage at NBA Playbook Here), Mikhail Prokhorov was mentioned as the “next generation” of sports owner.
Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy on yesterday’s superstar, Courtney Lee, as told to Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger: “He’s a very good player,’’ Lee’s old coach with Orlando, Stan Van Gundy, said of the 6-5 second-year guard. “His rookie year, he basically took open shots, moved the ball, played very good defense, didn’t make mistakes. And I think early in the year (with the Nets, after coming to New Jersey in the Vince Carter trade), trying to get back to the way he was in college and trying to be more aggressive was a little bit more of a challenge.
In Al Iannazzone’s recap, Courtney Lee says he sees yesterday’s game as a turning point for the team: “It feels good,” said Courtney Lee, one of the Nets stars with 25 points in his first game back after missing the prior three with a sprained ankle. “We’re starting to play together. We’re starting to understand and make the right reads out there. I feel finishing the season we’ll be a pretty good team.”
Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni is none too happy about last night: “It is as bad as it gets,” Mike D’Antoni said. “We just have to come back Monday and try to do better. I don’t have a lot to say; we just have to pull it together and find a little bit of a combination that works a little bit.”
Adam Jacobi at SB Nation, says last night’s game means two things:
- The world has gone completely crazycakes
- The Knicks are falling apart faster than 4-year-old’s alibi in the case of the missing cake frosting
Just thought I’d mention that this New York Post report refers to the Nets as “impotent.” Does this mean the players should have just been taking viagra all season?
Brian Windhorst of the Plain Dealer mocks Chris Douglas-Roberts for his recent cryptic comments about whether or not he would help recruit LeBron James to the Nets: That’s what the Nets get, apparently, for upsetting a player making the minimum salary who is averaging 10 points per game.
Old friend Rafer Alston, who hasn’t played any better since going to Miami, was indefinitely suspended by the team and is mulling retirement.
Nets on the Net: 3/6/10 Edition
Mar 6, 2010 Brett Yormark, Brook Lopez, Brooklyn, Devin Harris, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Newark
Colin Stephenson on last night: The Nets held Dwight Howard to 11 points and Vince Carter to 13. And still, they were never really in the game.
Julian Garcia notes that the Nets have all but ensured their worst home record in the franchise’s history: A 97-87 loss to Vince Carter and the Magic Friday night dropped the Nets’ home record to 3-28, meaning they will have to win their remaining 10 home games to avoid setting a record for fewest wins there in one season. The Nets went 13-28 at the Meadowlands in 1989-90 to set the current mark. They also still have shot at the all-time franchise record for fewest home wins at any venue – 10, set in 1976-77 at the Nassau Coliseum.
Devin Harris tells Al Iannazzone that the Nets are still trying out there: “We want to finish strong,” Devin Harris said after the Nets’ 11th consecutive home loss. “We have our minds set on trying to compete each and every game and trying to win every game. All of the other stuff is out of our control anyway so there’s no need for us to really worry about it.”
Fred Kerber uses last night’s performance to poke a hole in the Nets new ad campaign: Meanwhile, back in the present on the Meadowlands court, there was nothing new. Basically, the Nets offered, “It’s The Same Old Stuff — Losing.”
Stan Van Gundy thinks Brook Lopez is an all-star.
Mikhail Prokhorov should be approved next month, according to reports.
Specially-priced season tickets will be offered to Newark residents next season.
The Village Voice has a feature on Freddy’s Bar in Brooklyn, who are being forced to vacate as part of the Barclays Center deal.
Brett Yormark on CNBC yesterday:
Howard Beck of the New York Times on the Knicks and Nets combined futility: The question now is whether the suffering will prove worthwhile. If James lands in Midtown or Amar’e Stoudemire settles in New Jersey, all will be forgiven. Even if the superstars all decline the invitations, the Nets and Knicks will be flush with cash and flexibility to rebuild their rosters.
Nets on the Net: 3/3/10 Edition
Mar 3, 2010 Brook Lopez, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Draft Lottery, LeBron James, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net
Oh, Chris Douglas-Roberts, you can never just not be cryptic when a reporter asks you a question can you? Al Iannazzone asks CDR whether he would “recruit” LeBron James, apparently a friend Douglas-Roberts has given “advice” to (tiger raising tips?). Here’s CDR’s response to Al: “Leon, LeBron, everybody’s together. Every relationship we have, that’s what it is. For example if they’re not happy somewhere or they’re not happy with something it’s all in the family, no one’s happy.”
Speaking of LeBron, as expected, the storyline from some beat writers is how this is the Nets last chance to “impress” James this season when he visits the Izod Center tonight. Julian Garcia of the Daily News brings up one advantage the Nets have over the Knicks: If putting up a fight is appealing to James, then the Nets have done a better job than the Knicks. The Nets’ worst loss to the Cavaliers this season was by 10 points, while the Knicks took a 31-point beating in Cleveland Monday night.
With Shaq out of the lineup tonight, Brook Lopez begins his preparation for what the Cavs are likely going to throw at him: “I look at it as a challenge, how it’s going to affect me defensively,” Lopez said. “Guys like Varejao and Hickson in, who are a lot more mobile – I think we can help a little bit more (on LeBron James and others), but at the same time, they’re going to be cutting a lot, they’re all great cutters; they play off the ball really well. So while we can help, we’ve sort of got to keep an eye on them.”
Al Harrington of the Knicks tells the New York Post that LeBron’s loyalty to Ohio may trump all this summer: “But if he’s as loyal as he says, I would think it’s very hard for him to leave, especially because he’s home.
Mikhail Prokhorov, prospective Nets owner, reportedly lost a $53 million deposit for a home he was looking to buy on the French Riviera.
Tom Ziller at NBA Fanhouse looks at the ping pong ball “derby” for this summer’s NBA draft.
Nets on the Net: 2/17/10 Edition
Feb 17, 2010 Coaching, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Rod Thorn, Terrence Williams
Mike Krzyzewski sounded pretty definitive on the Michael Kay show yesterday when asked if he would consider leaving Duke to coach the Nets: I would not. I was asked over the weekend about that after the game. First of all, I have a lot of respect for them. I think it’s a good job, it’s just not a good job for me, and the Nets haven’t offered that. I hate to comment and make it appear that the Nets have done something that they haven’t done. They haven’t done that.
And Rod Thorn sounded pretty definitive about the chances for activity before tomorrow’s trade deadline: “I’d say probably nothing,” Thorn said when asked what the Nets would do. “But you never know. Somebody could call looking for an expiring contract and then we’d be in business. But right now, I don’t see anything of any importance that we have out there.”
Dave D’Alessandro shares his conversation with Mikhail Prokhorov while the two were in Vancouver. Prokhorov still can’t talks basketball until he is officially approved by the NBA.
Is his annual trade deadline list, ESPN’s Bill Simmons lists Brook Lopez as the 14th most untouchable guy in the NBA.
Terrence Williams should have been in this year’s Slam Dunk competition, but when asked about his participation next year by Al Iannazzone, he sounded unsure if he would do it.
The Nets are getting into the pizza delivery business.
TrueHoop’s old friend Kurt Helin talks about the Rod Thorn situation over at his Pro Basketball Talk blog with NBC Sports.
Nets on the Net: 2/16/10 Edition
Feb 16, 2010 Coaching, Kiki, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Rod Thorn
A Dave D’Alessandro report makes it sound pretty convincing that Rod Thorn will keep his job in the Mikhail Prokhorov regime.
Al Iannazzone examines how the Nets can get six more wins to avoid all-time infamy: The breakdown is: they have 30 games and 17 are at home; nine are against West teams, four of which are at home; 13 are against teams below .500 at the break and six are at home.
Kkii Vandeweghe throws cold water on the idea that the Nets will make a trade before this week’s trade deadline.
Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News advises John Calipari to steer clear of the Nets.
Fox Sports includes the Nets as part of their all-star break round-up, “six teams with questions” down the stretch.
Nets on the Net: 2/15/10 Edition
Feb 15, 2010 Jay-Z, Kiki Vandeweghe, LeBron James, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Rod Thorn
Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that Rod Thorn will likely not fire Kiki Vandeweghe for the alleged under the table deal he made with Del Harris to become head coach of the Nets. Meanwhile, Tom Barrise, is headed to coach Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Rod Thorn is on his way to Vancouver to meet with Mikhail Prokhorov, while those back in New Jersey are working on getting the Nets to Newark next season.
Jerry Colangelo told the Daily News he is interested in a return to the NBA under certain conditions: “I would have to have full autonomy,” Colangelo told the Daily News. “I’m not looking to become a general manager. But if the right job came along I’d be willing to talk to anyone. Life is all about opportunities.”
Jay-Z and LeBron James threw an after party during All-Star weekend which Rod Thorn attended.
Looking at the business side of basketball, the New York Times reports that it’s unlikely that LeBron James would help the stock of MSG, a recent spinoff of Cablevision owners of the Knicks, trading on the NASDAQ.
Nets on the Net: 2/13/10 Edition
Feb 13, 2010 Coaching, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Rod Thorn
Al Iannazzone writes that Rod Thorn’s future hinges on his meeting with the new incoming owner, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov. During the meeting, the two could discuss the firing of Kiki Vandeweghe after the trade deadline in February.
Newsday reports that Jerry Colangelo is apparently very interested in Thorn’s job.
Meanwhile, Fred Kerber reports that Thorn is likely to keep his job: “(Prokhorov) knows what he has in Rod,” said one rival team executive.
John Calipari addresses the coaching rumors: “For all of our fans: My name will be bandied about for every job that opens, including AAU jobs,” Calipari said. “High school jobs, supposedly I’ll be taking my son with me. Different college jobs, pro — it’s happened. I just say, ‘Whatever.’”
How about Patrick Ewing for head coach?