HoopsHype.com Rumors

Al Iannazzone: Ratner spoke to beat reporters today for the first time in about three years. Three words: No more lawsuits. Twitter

New Jersey Nets, Bruce Ratner, Owners 

Bruce Ratner remains a minority partner in the New Jersey Nets, so he's not at liberty to question the decisions made by the team's new majority owner, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov. But if there's one consequence of the new regime's attempt to distance itself from last season's nearly historic -- as in historically bad --12-70 record that bothers him, it's how assistant general manager Kiki Vandeweghe was sent packing. Enough so that Ratner's conscience apparently compelled him to speak out about it. Especially now that team president Rod Thorn is stepping aside as well and the team is in search of new leadership altogether. "He didn't go out the way he should have," Ratner said now of Vandeweghe. "The team is in a really good position and he was instrumental in putting it there." ESPN.com

New Jersey Nets, Kiki Vandeweghe, Mikhail Prokhorov, Bruce Ratner 

The Nets have $30 million in cap space and Vandeweghe, Ratner said, helped create $27 million of it. Ratner credited Vandeweghe for helping secure their existing nucleus of center Brook Lopez and All-Star point guard Devin Harris as well. "Kiki did a lot of the negotiating," Ratner said. ESPN.com

New Jersey Nets, Kiki Vandeweghe, Mikhail Prokhorov, Bruce Ratner