Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn owner blasts former Nets players, coaches in open letter

Published Feb. 17, 2016 10:20 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Brooklyn Nets are currently one of the saddest organizations in all of professional sports. They're 14-40 right now, and, thanks to a disastrously short-sighted trade that surrenders their next two first-round picks to the Boston Celtics, have all but no path to improvement any time in the near future.

But don't fret, Nets fans! Owner Mikhail Prokhorov (maybe?) has a plan to get this team back on the right path. And in an open letter to lay out his strategy, he went out of his way to burn anonymous players and coaches who've come and gone over the past six seasons (via The Vertical):

Not everyone is made to play in Brooklyn. One of the very important things we’ve learned. The fans are rightfully demanding, the market is high pressure and the media is doing their job and paying attention. We need coaches and players who reflect this, who are tough, and have a winning attitude with total commitment. This means we look for a team of people with a real passion to be here, and we don’t pull teeth trying to convince them. It’s an honor to play for Brooklyn. Period.

Who could Prokhorov be talking about? The first player that springs to mind is Deron Williams, whose contract was bought out last summer before he signed with the Dallas Mavericks.

One former player, in particular. You can probably guess which one. https://t.co/YH7llP4Dtc
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) February 17, 2016

Injuries marred Williams' five-season stint with the organization, but the pressure of playing in a large market might've also factored into his rapid decline.

The coach in question? It has to be Jason Kidd, who leveraged his job with the Nets for more responsibility in a larger role with the Milwaukee Bucks. That one didn't sit well with Prokhorov:

In the end, none of this letter actually matters. The Nets are terrible today, and will stay terrible into the next decade. Don't be shocked if Prokhorov's next announcement is his decision to sell the team.