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April 11, 2012
Mikhail Prokhorov, like the Nets, is a work in progress
The Star-Ledger
by Dave D'Alessandro
The Star-Ledger's sports columnist throws some cold vodka on the Prokhorov myth.
As everyone knows, there’s no better substitute for substantive dialogue than a photo op and some glib remarks while standing in front of a construction site.
So in keeping with this tradition, Mikhail Prokhorov faced the media inside a dusty Barclays Center in Brooklyn Tuesday, and answered questions for the first time in 14 months.
...But glib is what Prokhorov does well, yet if you’re looking for something substantial, keep looking. He never gives the impression that he is in control of the Nets franchise, as even his clichés — “It is easy to have a playoff team, but it is very difficult to have a championship team, so we need to be very patient and go step by step” — are diametrically opposed to what his GM practices.
So it occurs to you: Prokhorov can’t speak of the future because he knows very little about the present. He threw some names out there (Gerald Wallace, Marshon Brooks) to signify that he’s been paying attention, but overall, he still sounds less engaged than the average towel boy.
It’s time to admit the obvious: We’re talking about an absentee owner here, as this guy never really had any intention of doing much more than writing checks.
Posted by eric at April 11, 2012 1:29 PM