With Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov set to take over the ownership of the awfully disgruntled New Jersey Nets franchise, it seems the team will just go through the motions for the rest of the current regular season and undergo a major retool for a big comeback next season. Despite several disappointing issues on hand like becoming the worst-ever NBA team in the regular season history and where to play its home games next season, the Nets are looking for a brighter tomorrow.
Recent developments like team president Rod Thorn flying over to Vancouver for a two-day meeting with Prokhorov and rumors that current ESPN NBA TV analyst and former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy as incoming Nets coach seems to point towards the right direction for the team.
According to league insiders, Van Gundy is the front runner among the twelve names to be submitted by Thorn to Prokhorov as possible Nets top guru next season. Van Gundy, whose brother Stan is the current head coach of the Orlando Magic, had an over-all NBA coaching win-loss record of 430-318 (.575) in 11 seasons with the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets.
The Nets currently owns the worst record in the NBA this season winning just 5 games out of 53 games played so far. They are in the hunt for the all-time poorest win-loss record in the league which the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers owned by finishing 9-73.
It is sad to see this once-proud franchise flounder after only six years removed from their back-to-back finals stint in 2002 and 2003.
With a Russian tycoon set to revive the fortunes of the team, loyal Nets fans are hoping for a big turnaround and that Prokhorov will duplicate what another Russian magnate Roman Abramovich has done to English pro soccer powerhouse Chelsea.
That of course, remains to be seen.
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Still on NBA coaches, the Denver Nuggets had announced that coach George Karl, who is fresh from his stint as mentor of the West squad in the recently-concluded annual NBA All-Star game in Dallas, is suffering from cancer again.
Karl is currently on his sixth season with the Nuggets and his 22nd over-all season as an NBA head coach. He previously handled Cleveland, Golden State, Seattle and Milwaukee. He had a current over-all record of 968-660 win-loss card in 1,628 games so far for an impressive .595 rate.
Karl, who had just signed a one-year contract extension with the Nuggets worth $4.5M, is expected to miss some games this season for treatment related reasons.
The current state of Karl just shows life really is full of ups and downs. Wishing the best for Karl.
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Herewith are the transactions completed for the period February 8 to 16:
Tuesday, February 16
Los Angeles Clippers traded center Marcus Camby to Portland for guard Steve Blake and forward Travis Outlaw and cash and waived guard Ricky Davis.
Monday, February 15
Chicago signed forward Chris Richard to a second 10-day contract.
Saturday, February 13
Washington traded guard DeShawn Stevenson, forward Caron Butler, center Brendan Haywood and cash to Dallas for guard Quinton Ross and forwards Josh Howard, James Singleton and Drew Gooden.
Monday, February 8
Houston signed guard Garrett Temple to a 10-day contract.
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