Brooklyn Nets looking to hire the Red Auerbach of Russian basketball as next GM

EuroHoops.net:

Mikhail Prokhorov is the full owner of the Nets and according to Eurohoops sources, [Andray] Vatutin is his top choice for the job of the general manager. Billy King’s contract expires at the end of the season, things are going to change in the Nets and the president of CSKA Moscow is offered the position.

Under his managment CSKA Moscow won the 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 Russian Superleague and the 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 Russian Championships.

Of course any move the Nets make greatly influences the Celtics future, as we own their next 3 picks. Billy King has been an abysmal GM for the Nets (Though the KG for Thad Young trade was a solid one). While in an ideal world, King would remain on as GM of the Nets to be incompetent for a couple more years, it doesn't look like that will be the case. There is no guarantee that Vatutin will leave Russia. I kid about comparing him to Red as a GM in the title, but we have no idea how his success will/would translate to the NBA. Do they have even have a salary cap in Russia?

My hope is the next GM of the Nets will realize the traded picks are a sunk cost and decide to fully rebuild the team. Trade Brook Lopez and Thad Young for future picks. Right now it seems they are trying to win as many games as possible mostly to void the embarrassment of the Celtics getting a top 3 pick out of them. But reality is whether the pick is #1, #3, or #9, it doesn't affect the Nets. They aren't getting it anyway. They would be wiser to stop worrying about trying to be as mediocre as possible (to avoid the pick embarrassment) and instead to bottom out and rebuild. Whether his successor ends up being Vatutin or not, apparently Billy King's glorious reign in Brooklyn is coming to an end this Summer.