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Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia’s third- richest man, said he’ll give $17 billion of his $18 billion fortune to charity if he defeats Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and three other candidates to win the presidency next month. “I’ll sell everything, all my assets when I become president and donate almost all of the money to charity,” Prokhorov said during a talk show with fellow candidate Vladimir Zhirinovsky that was broadcast on state-run television late. Prokhorov, who owns the New Jersey Nets basketball team in the U.S. and stakes in Russian metals companies United Co. Rusal (486) and Polyus Gold International Ltd., said he’d need the remaining $1 billion for personal expenses after life in the Kremlin. “I’ll need something to live on,” Prokhorov, 46, said. Bloomberg

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia 

Mikhail Prokhorov's political bid is still considered a longshot, and Nets fans better hope it stays that way if they want any ownership presence. Even if he doesn’t win the Russian presidential election in March — when Prokhorov plans to run against Vladimir Putin — the billionaire told Reuters this week that he would “sell my shares (of the Nets) to a blind trust” should he become prime minister or, as phrased by the reporter, “if (his) political career is hugely successful.” Giving his shares to a blind trust doesn’t mean Prokhorov would relinquish his investment, just that trustees would be given full discretion over the Nets’ assets. New York Daily News

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia 

Prokhorov, who hasn’t attended a Nets game in almost a year, downplayed any change in his ownership duties as status quo. After holding his famous Carmelo Anthony press conference during a three-game homestretch in January of last year, Prokhorov has not made an appearance at the Rock — apologizing in a statement for not coming to the home opener last month. “Even now I’m more on the strategy side than the day-to-day routine and I never interfere in my manager’s job,” he told Reuters. In addition to GM Billy King and Avery Johnson, Prokhorov has two business associates — Irina Pavlova and Christophe Charlier —overseeing the Nets' day-to-day operation. New York Daily News

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, Billy King, Russia, Irina Pavlova 

"I would make a special exception, just for Nets players. They can keep calling me Mikhail." -- Nets principal owner Mikhail Prokhorov, responding via e-mail to the New York Times when the paper asked if his team's players would have to refer to him as "Mr. President" if Prokhorov defeats Vladmir Putin in the Russian presidential election. NBA.com

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov 

For further idiosyncratic intrigue, the Nets’ principal owner is Mikhail D. Prokhorov, a 6-foot-8 Russian, who is one of the world’s richest men and who recently declared his candidacy for president in his country. “My interest in owning the Nets has not diminished at all,” Prokhorov said in an e-mail this week when asked if his political aspirations presented a problem unforeseen when his purchase of controlling ownership from Bruce C. Ratner in 2010 injected life into the stalled Barclays Center project. “Regarding team operations, I hate to disillusion anyone, but I do not make the day-to-day decisions,” he added. “We have a superb management team in place and I see my role as lending vision and strategy ideas, but not intruding on their good judgment.” New York Times

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov 

Asked if he would have to be addressed as Mr. President in the Nets’ locker room should his campaign be successful, Prokhorov said: “I would make a special exception, just for Nets players. They can keep calling me Mikhail.” New York Times

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov 

Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov issued a statement through the media relations department Tuesday explaining why he could not be present for last night’s home opener. “I very much wanted to be with you today, but other obligations have prevented me from making the trip to the home opener,’’ the statement read. “I will be watching and rooting for the team from Moscow. Rest assured that I am with you in spirit and will be with you in body, too, as soon as my schedule permits. To Brook Lopez, wishing you a speedy recovery. For the rest of the team, it’s great to see everyone back on the court. Go Nets!” Newark Star-Ledger

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov 

Prokhorov, of course, is running for president of Russia, and in a television interview broadcast Tuesday he pledged to shed his party boy image if he is elected and suggested he may even marry. “If I become president, I won’t be able to party anymore,” Prokhorov, 46, said in an interview with Rossiya 24 state television. “If the country says it’s necessary, I’ll marry.” Newark Star-Ledger

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov 

Meanwhile, the Nets are still massaging $18.6 million of critical cap flexibility to enhance chances of securing Dwight Howard, who honestly prefers Brooklyn over Los Angeles or Dallas (really, I’m not kidding) and wants to play for Mikhail Prokhorov or Vladimir Putin. So much room would allow the Nets to assume the contracts of Hedo Turkoglu and Howard ($29 million total), whose meek Miami tap dance (2 of 9 field goals) gave the impression he might be a trace preoccupied. New York Post

Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Trade, Dwight Howard, Mikhail Prokhorov 

With many holes to fill before a season opener just 11 days away, the Nets are looking to sign Andrei Kirilenko as the starting small forward, a league source told The News. Kirilenko, 30, is one of only two Russians in the NBA and has long been linked to the Nets because of owner Mikhail Prokhorov , who is running in Russia’s presidential election. New York Daily News

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, Andrei Kirilenko 

Signing Kirilenko could spell the end for small forward Travis Outlaw , who suffered a broken hand during the lockout and is a candidate for the amnesty clause. The Nets also need a power forward and are looking at re-signing Kris Humphries . New York Daily News

New Jersey Nets, Kris Humphries, Mikhail Prokhorov, Travis Outlaw, Andrei Kirilenko 

Nets coach Avery Johnson commented on the news today that team owner Mikhail Prokhorov will run for president of Russia. “I heard about that, and congratulations to Mikhail," Johnson said. “But it has no bearing on ownership and what’s going to be happening with us. He’s still a terrific owner." Newark Star-Ledger

New Jersey Nets, Avery Johnson, Mikhail Prokhorov 

Stefan Bondy: Anthony Morrow on Prokhorov: "He's the man. I'd vote for him. ...He's a good dude." Twitter

New Jersey Nets, Anthony Morrow, Mikhail Prokhorov 

Russian tycoon and Nets basketball team owner Mikhail Prokhorov announced Monday he will enter the 2012 Russian presidential race. New York Post

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia 

Prokhorov told a news conference in Moscow, "I made probably the most serious decision in my life. I am running for president," the Ria Novosti news agency reported. The billionaire said he would create a new political party "from scratch" and would unveil his political agenda in the near future -- as soon as he formally registers as a candidate. However, the Nets owner dismissed claims he had been in talks with the Kremlin over his presidential ambitions. New York Post

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia 

"The society is waking up," Prokhorov said at the news conference he held in Moscow to announce his candidacy. "Those authorities who will fail to establish a dialogue with the society will have to go." On Sunday, President Dmitry Medvedev promised on his Facebook page that the alleged vote fraud during the parliamentary election will be investigated. But Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, predicted Monday the probe will show that little vote fraud occurred and that it had no effect on the outcome. "If you take all the cases of these alleged violations or whatever was published online, the total will be less than 1 percent of the overall number of votes," Peskov told The Associated Press in an interview. "And even hypothetically speaking, if they are all appealed in court, it will in no way affect the legitimacy of the election." ESPN.com

New Jersey Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia 

While the agent for Orlando center Dwight Howard was given permission to talk with the Lakers, Nets and Mavericks about a possible trade on Friday, Magic CEO Alex Martins told SI.com that the team was still considering filing tampering charges regarding an alleged meeting with New Jersey officials. With indications growing that Howard would ask for a trade to the Nets this week, sources told SI.com on Friday morning that the Magic were investigating the alleged meeting between New Jersey owner Mikhail Prokhorov and Orlando's franchise player on Thursday in Miami. NBA.com first reported that the Magic were considering tampering charges against two unnamed teams, and ESPN.com later reported that Nets general manager Billy King and business associates were also at the alleged meeting. Because teams are not authorized to speak with another team's players without permission, any such meeting would be considered tampering and the Nets could be subject to fines and the loss of draft picks. SI.com

New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Trade, Dwight Howard, Mikhail Prokhorov, Billy King, Alex Martins 

Martins, reached via phone late Friday night, said the alleged meeting was still being investigated and reiterated that the matter would be taken seriously. "They did not have permission to talk to him," Martins told SI.com. "We're continuing to gather the information based on the stories, and we'll evaluate whether we're going to take any action once we have all of our information." SI.com

New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Trade, Dwight Howard, Mikhail Prokhorov, Billy King, Alex Martins 

Fegan said he met with King this week to discuss a deal for Nene, another client. “Tampering is a non-issue,” Fegan told Yahoo! Sports by phone Friday night. Yahoo! Sports

New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Trade, Dwight Howard, Dan Fegan, Mikhail Prokhorov, Billy King, Alex Martins 

Chris Broussard: Dwight Howard met with NJ owner Mikhail Prokhorov & GM Billy King Thurs night in Miami, sources say. Orlando was unaware if meeting Twitter

New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Trade, Dwight Howard, Mikhail Prokhorov, Billy King