2010-11 New Jersey Nets Preview

 This is an NBA Preview I wrote for my fill time employer SportsNetwork.com... As many of you know I have recently accepted a full time writing and editorial position and will be covering the league on a full time basis this season.

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(Sports Network) - To say that the 2009-10 season was a disappointment for the New Jersey Nets would be an understatement.
It was known that the Nets were looking to rebuild in 2009 but not many on the team, nor in the organization, expected that rebuilding would come with the worst record in the NBA (12-70). The Nets spent most of the season trying to avoid history and finally achieved it on March, 29th as they beat the San Antonio Spurs for their 10th win of the season, avoiding the 1972-73 Sixers (9-73) for the moniker of worst season ever.

Despite a season of lost opportunities the Nets had many things to look forward to coming into this past offseason.
"If things go as planned we hope to bring a championship team in a minimum of one year and a maximum of five years," stated new majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov in his opening press conference.

Those words from the new owner started the beginning of what would be one of the biggest summers in the team's 34-year NBA history, or so they thought.

The long changeover to the Russian billionaire Prokhorov from former owner Bruce Ratner was finally approved by the NBA league office. The team left its longtime home of the IZOD center for its new temporary facility at the Newark, New Jersey Prudential Center, until the new Barclays Arena is erected in Brooklyn, and the team was looking for the stars to align with the NBA Draft Lottery in the much anticipated "Summer of LeBron" free agency extravaganza.

"I'm pretty sure I can convince the very best-of-the-best that the Nets is the place they want to be," reiterated Prokhorov when he discussed the free agent summer with the media.

Despite Prokhorov's plans for a summer to remember, many of his and minority team owner Jay-Z's, plans for the revival of the Nets fell way below expectations.

Report: Sixers Hire Rod Thorn As Team President.

The Philadelphia 76ers have reportedly agreed to terms to bring on Rod Thorn as the organizations new team president. Thorn is a career basketball man and has most recently spent time with the New Jersey Nets.

A formal announcement is expected to be made later this week.
Thorn was the Nets team president since 2000, but left the organization this summer after reports that he was not interested in working for new majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov.

With this move, Ed Stefanski will now take over the sole responsibility as the teams general manager. This will be a comfortable position for both men, as Stefanski was acting general manager of the Nets under Thorns tenure.

NBA Jips UK Fans Of Quality Basketball

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(New York, NY)- The NBA has announced that in March, the league will hold their first ever regular season in Europe.

The New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors will play two games on March fourth and sixth at London's O2 Arena, thus increasing the NBA as a global brand and a commitment that the league wants to make before the 2012 London Olympics.

This is the announcement that commissioner David Stern made to the media: "The staging of regular-season games in Europe is a milestone for the NBA.

"By bringing these two young and exciting teams to London, we are fulfilling our commitment to schedule a regular-season game in the UK prior to the 2012 Olympics."

Nets Hire Billy King, Is Prokhorov Confused?

(Somewhere in NJ) -- Its a well known fact that throughout the world certain countries receive U.S. imports later then others. There are still some countries that have not yet received Michael Jackson's Thriller. Countries full of Members Only jackets and Jordache Jeans.

I never thought it would be the world power of Russia but from what I can gather their sports news is around five years late, who else can you rationalize hiring former Sixers GM Billy King to run your franchise.

Mikhail Prokhorov, I understand your still mad you didn't get a sniff during "The Decision" but there is no need to give up already. Avery Johnson was a smart pick as a coach but Billy King as GM... not so much. I think Bill Simmons summed it up best.