Nets deny team for sale, beat Maccabi Tel Aviv in preseason opener
Mikhail Prokhorov's negotiations with the president of the group that owns the L.A. Dodgers - coupled with an offseason effort to cut payroll - have created a perception that the Nets' Russian owner is trying to cash out. Even 500 miles away in Ohio, LeBron James referenced it Monday while discussing the NBA's financial windfall following its new television deal, saying Prokhorov 'is possibly selling his majority stake for over a billion (dollars).'
News travels fast in the NBA. But GM Billy King said it's a false assumption. Brooklyn's GM tried to clear the air before Tuesday's 111-94 preseason victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli League, saying Prokhorov is not only remaining the majority owner of the Nets, he's still willing to take on additional payroll.
'We'll put it to rest. I think it has been said. He's not selling,' said King, who works closely with Prokhorov's No. 2, Dmitry Razumov.
'So tell LeBron,' King added while smiling, 'he's not selling.'
Sources told The News that Prokhorov is indeed still planning to retain majority control of the Nets, and that the negotiations with the president of the Dodgers ownership group, Todd Boehly, were about integrating sports and entertainment assets.
Still, there's a perception of instability at the top of the organization. King said it doesn't affect his job.
'No. Why would that have an impact? Our players know (what's going on). Our team knows,' he said. 'There's no free agency going on, so I don't care about what LeBron feels about us as an organization at this point in time. Just because LeBron reads what is written or is speculating, it doesn't have an impact on us.'
The Nets still carry the top payroll in the NBA at $94 million, about $12 million less than their record-breaking number last season. Essentially, they cut salary with one controversial decision - declining to re-sign Paul Pierce.
'I think we're spending pretty good this year. Just because it's less than last year, when the storyline was, 'record levels, record levels,' ' King said. 'So I don't think anything has changed in (Prokhorov's) mind-set. . . .
'He hasn't wavered in pursuit of what he wants. Our goal is to still try to win a championship,' King added. 'We're not taking steps back. We're trying to build a team that's going to win.'
The offseason served as a backdrop to Tuesday's preseason opener, which represented Brook Lopez's first game since fracturing his foot in December. The center was an offensive force in 23 minutes, scoring 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
Deron Williams, who is coming off surgeries to his ankles, added 17 points and seven assists in 28 minutes.
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