January 19, 2011: End of the Melodrama
After failing to land a big-name free agent in the summer of 2010, much of the 2010-11 New Jersey Nets season was mired in the interminable rumors surrounding Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony coming to the Nets via trade — AKA “Melodrama.” As the February 2011 traded deadline approached and the rumors dragged on, Nets management was scheduled to have a sit down with Carmelo in Denver.
But then one Mr. Prokhorov put his foot down on the matter. In the states for the Nets first ever “Evening of Russian Culture,” Prokhorov held a press conference to announce the Nets were out of the Melodrama. “There comes a time when the price is simply too expensive. I instructing our team to walk away from the deal. And the meeting which was supposed to held (with Melo)…is hereby cancelled.”
In typical Prokhorov dry humor fashion, he said he had never met or spoke with “Carmela,” though the star forward may have tried to reach him. “Maybe he sent me email, but really I don’t use computer.”
Anthony would end up being traded to the Knicks shortly after the proclamation and the Nets would end up getting their own star, Deron Williams, in the surprise deadline deal of 2011.
