Mikhail Prokhorov has deliberately stoked up a fire between himself and James Dolan. The Nets want to take over basketball in New York and are using the confrontational, outsiders-invading tactic, stirring up trouble and taking pot shots. This goes all the way back to the summer of 2010 when Prokhorov and the Nets were putting up billboards outside of MSG while the Knicks were hosting the top free agents. It’s continued all the way through the Nets’ arrival in Brooklyn, and it doesn’t look to stop soon.
Prokhorov has a lot of fun ribbing the other owners, like Mark Cuban about the free agency track meet with Deron Williams, but most especially Dolan. The Knicks, for their part, haven’t commented on anything. In part because their strategy is to act above the Nets in every regard, and maintain their credibility as the “flagship franchise” of the NBA (that hasn’t won a title in forty years). But Prokhorov is not without generosity. In fact, he’d love for Mr. Dolan to come on down to Brooklyn to enjoy the new Barclays Center when Prokhorov’s Nets host the Knicks in the two teams’ NBA season opener. He’s just waiting for a yes.
Prokhorov, when asked if James Dolan would come to the opener: “I have sent him an invitation already. I’m still waiting for the answer.”
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) September 22, 2012
This whole thing is going to be so much fun.