The Nets are setting themselves up

When a team has been terrible for an extended period of time, things need to change. Typically, this involves firing a coaching staff and/or a front office. Very rarely does the change come from the ownership, in terms of a dramatic new vision and dynamic for a team that is an afterthought, if anything at all. And let's face it, the New Jersey Nets have been an afterthought since they randomly won the Eastern Conference in 2002 and 2003.

However, this mindset began to change with the introduction of Mikhail Prokhorov as the new owner of the Nets. From the beginning, he had a vision - he wanted to build a team around a couple of transcendent players, he wanted to move the team to Brooklyn so as to better market the Nets brand, and he wanted to set the Nets up as a global team.

In purchasing the Nets, Prokhorov also personally funded a loan for $700 million to build their new arena in Brooklyn. The remainder of the funding would be acquired through the banking system, making it where the taxpayers of Brooklyn did not have to be taxed any further for the construction of another owner's private playground.

Next, Prokhorov set about revamping the front office and coaching staff with his goals in mind. He named a new general manager in Billy King, who had been the general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers from 1998 until 2007, and a new head coach in Avery Johnson, who had been the Coach of the Year for the Dallas Maverics in 2006, and had reached the NBA Finals previously. With a staff set, the Nets could now focus on gaining a legitimate superstar to build around.

With their impending move to Brooklyn, their primary target became Carmelo Anthony, a native of New York who wanted to play in front of his hometown crowds. However, he had no interest in playing for the Nets, and wisely, the Nets moved on, trading for a top three point guard in Deron Williams. Coupled with a burgeoning star at the center position in Brook Lopez, the future for the Nets on the court looks bright indeed.

Yet, their future off the court may be even better. With Prokhorov, the Nets are looking to expend themselves internationally, to be the franchise that fans in Europe, Africa, and Asia follow. Already, they have played the Toronto Raptors in London this year. They have a basketball clinic scheduled for Russia during the next offseason, and already played exhibition games in China. Add this to the amount of foreign born players on the nets roster, a Russian language website and a television deal to broadcast Nets games in Russia, there is a solid foundation. Yes, the NBA can limit what teams can do in terms of international promotion, but the Nets are on their way.

Perhaps this vision can save a franchise from falling to the ranks of irrelevancy, which is where teams like the Pacers or the Grizzlies find themselves. By focusing on areas outside their present neighborhood and to keep from spending their entire advertising budget in a futile attempt to wrestle away the stray Knicks fan, the Nets can legitimately make something of themselves, and tap into a fanbase that has been waiting for someone to pay attention to them.

Well played thus far Prokhorov. Hopefully this will translate into success.