Melo (and Billups) deal with Nets falls through. Whew!

[El Supremo]

Nets drop Carmelo Anthony deal

NEWARK, N.J. -- The New Jersey Nets have pulled out of the Melo Drama.

Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov delivered the bombshell to the media on Wednesday night as he made his opening statement after traveling to the United States for what he thought would be a chance to finish the deal to bring Carmelo Anthony to the Nets from the Denver Nuggets.

I'm not happy with the way ... this deal has gone until now," Prokhorov said. "It has taken too long. It has been played out in public and it certainly has taken a toll on the players and I believe that it has cost us several games. I think management did a great job, but there comes a time when the price is simply too expensive. I'm instructing our team to walk away from the deal."

The decision to pull out of the talks was made Tuesday, said Prokhorov, who displayed a discernable level of frustration at the collapse of the deal the Nets had been working on for three months.

[hughee99]

1. Cost them games?

Since X-mas they've only won one game, and only lost one by less than 9 points. They're fucking 11-31. I don't think it's "trade rumors" that are costing them games.

[El Supremo]

2. It has been for us.

This damn thing has been going on since before the season started. I still think La La wants to live in New York so she can shop all the fancy stores.

[hughee99]

3. You have a good team that's been in close games.

New Jersey's problems are MUCH bigger than trade rumors.