Mikhail Prokhorov: “Basketball Gods Smiled On The Nets”
By Mike Dyce
Mikhail Prokhorov really wants to win an NBA championship. Last year in free agency he managed to keep star point guard Deron Williams and acquire Joe Johnson. Now he has managed to acquire the heart of the Celtics organization by adding Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, not to mention Jason Terry.
All of this has the Brooklyn Nets looking at $72-77 million in luxury tax next season.
Now he has has managed to add small forward and fellow Russian Andrei Kirilenko for dirt cheap. Kirilenko signed a deal with the Brooklyn Nets that will pay him $3.18 million next season. He opted out of a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves that would have paid him $10.2 million.
Why would he leave $7.02 million on the table?
Well NBA teams have asked the league to investigate any foul play and “side deals.” A numerous amount of executives spoke out saying that they didn’t trust the deal between the two Russians as well.
Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov had a simple statement, or answer, for why he was able to sign Kirilenko for so cheap.
“Today, the basketball gods smiled on the Nets,” Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov said in a statement.
“Today, the basketball gods smiled on the Nets," Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov said in a statement.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) July 12, 2013