Mikhail Prokhorov

If it is up to a New Jersey congressman, the sale of the Nets to Mikhail Prokhorov is going to take some more time.

Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. wants to know if companies controlled by Prokhorov in Zimbabwe violate federal rules that forbid American citizens and companies, and subsidiaries set up in the United States, from doing business with brutal strongman Robert Mugabe.

“This is disgusting,” Pascrell said. “Obviously, the Board of Governors of the NBA didn’t do their job properly when they vetted this deal.”

FanNation

Mike Krzyzewski

Though Mike Krzyzewski turned down an NBA job in 2004, the Nets are willing to take a run at the Duke head coach soon after this NCAA season comes to a close.

The Nets’ offer likely will be between $12 million and $15 million per season for Krzyzewski to be their coach and perhaps general manager, a source said.

If Mikhail Prokhorov gets his way this off-season, Krzyzewski could be coaching his final game for Duke tonight when the Blue Devils face Butler for the NCAA championship.

Krzyzewski has been reluctant to leave Duke. But if the Blue Devils beat Butler and Krzyzewski wins his fourth national championship, it could help the Nets’ chances.

FanNation

Jeff Van Gundy

It is no secret the New Jersey Nets could get a complete overhaul before next season. A new owner is on the way. A new arena has broken ground.

They have a 25-percent chance of landing the top pick in the draft (John Wall?), and they have reserved a lot of salary-cap space for some top free agents.

And now, it seems the team has set its sights on a new coach: Jeff Van Gundy.

Sources say Mikhail Prokhorov plans to give president Rod Thorn an extension (with a pay cut) to help groom a successor and find a new coach. The chance of landing the top choice, Van Gundy, has improved with Thorn staying.

FanNation

Mikhail Prokhorov

Mikhail Prokhorov moved closer to taking control of the Nets on Tuesday night when he signed formal contracts to buy a controlling stake in the team and to invest in its Brooklyn arena project.

The deal with the current owner, the developer Bruce C. Ratner, is subject to approval by the NBA Board of Governors.

An NBA spokesman, Michael Bass, said, “We expect that the Board of Governors will vote on the application early in 2010.”

Real GM

Brooklyn

In a 6-1 ruling, an appeals court said that the state of New York properly used eminent domain to appropriate the Brooklyn property upon which the Nets plan to build their new arena.

Additional lawsuits are pending to stop the project from going forward but the eminent domain case was considered one of the last major hurdles in the Nets’ quest to move to Brooklyn.

The developer expects construction to take about 28 months which means the Nets would be ready to move to their new home by the 2012-2013 season if ground is broken before the end of the year.

On a separate note, The Nets have lost all 13 games thus far in the NBA this season.

Real GM

Andrei Kirilenko

If the famous Red Telephone between Russia and the United States still existed, Nets fans would probably like to see Mikhail Prokhorov and NBA Commissioner David Stern on it.

Considering the 0-7 emergency that Nets are currently in, it seems appropriate to use the secure telephone line to hurry up the sale of their team to the Russian billionaire.

And if Stern and Prokhorov shake hands on the deal, chances are that Prokhorov and Andrei Kirilenko — currently the only Russian player in the NBA — will shake hands, too.

HoopsWorld

Mikhail Prokhorov

When Mikhail Prokhorov reached agreement on the $700 million purchase price for the New Jersey Nets, sources say he immediately sought a sit down talk with part owner Jay-Z.

Jay-Z is a close friend to LeBron James and some believe he could be influential when the MVP becomes a free agent next summer.

“Prokhorov and his people know that the way to LeBron is through Jay-Z,” one high-level source connected to the Russians and Nets said. “From the start, that’s right where they’ve wanted to go.”

Real GM