Brooklyn Nets Morning Dish: Mikhail Prokhorov checks in at No. 7

The buzz in the Brooklyn Nets Morning Dish surrounds team co-owner Mikhail Prokhorov making a big-money list … like, crazy big money.

Happy Tuesday from the Brooklyn Nets Morning Dish, as we impatiently count down to Wednesday night’s regular-season opener with a look around the World Wide Weird (wait, that’s not right!) to see what’s percolating in and around Brooklyn’s team.

We begin with Nets co-owner Mikhail Prokhorov making his annual appearance on the list of the 20 richest sports owners in the world, as assembled by Celebrity Net Worth because, hey, if you can’t make the list, you might as well ogle those who can.

Prokhorov, the Russian oligarch who purchased a controlling stake in the then-New Jersey Nets in 2010, had been No. 1 on this list in the past, but this year checked in at No. 7 with an estimated net worth of $11 billion (11 with a whole bunch of zeroes).

Other NBA owners making the cut were Steve Ballmer of the Los Angeles Clippers (No. 2, net worth $28 billion), Stan Kroenke of the Denver Nuggets (No. 9, $7.7 billion), Richard DeVos and family of the Orlando Magic (No. 12, $7.3 billion), Micky Arison of the Miami Heat (tied for No. 16, $6.2 billion) and Dan Gilbert of the Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 19, $3.6 billion).

One sad addendum to the list was the inclusion of Paul Allen, the Microsoft co-founder who owned the Portland Trail Blazers for the last 30 years. Allen died Monday at the age of 65, succumbing to complications from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

LeVert, No. 1 option

In this piece from Brian Lewis of the New York Post, it appears the Brooklyn Nets brain trust is sold on the progress of third-year swingman Caris LeVert.

LeVert, who had his fourth-year option picked up by the Nets on Monday, told the Post that coach Kenny Atkinson’s decision to go to a 5-out set on the offensive end was due to personnel.

LeVert, who had a strong preseason after a terrific training camp, is apparently a big part of that personnel behind the change, according to Atkinson.

"“[LeVert’s emergence] was part of the personnel thing. In this offense, he can handle it more than he has. Him and [D’Angelo Russell], they have a nice synergy.“The Knicks were denying D’Angelo full court and Caris just brought it up. D’Angelo was off the ball. They’re embracing that.”"

LeVert was fully healthy last season for the first time in three seasons, dating back to his collegiate days at the University of Michigan, and added nearly four points per game to his scoring average while more than doubling his assists per game and improving his 3-point shooting a bit.

Continuing to develop his perimeter shot — and LeVert was 4-for-6 from deep against the New York Knicks in the preseason finale — will complement his strength, which is slashing and penetrating and make him a very, very dangerous man indeed.

A bit of the entrepreneurial spirit for Dinwiddie

In this article by Bleacher Report‘s Leo Sepkowitz, Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie talked about his investment in Bitcoin, lamenting a bit (yes, you see what I did there) about not investing more heavily in the digital currency.

"“If I woulda gone all-in, boy, I’d be loaded right now. I’d be rolling in it.”"

Dinwiddie bought in at $3,000 per coin. By December of last year, it had skyrocketed to $15,000. It was at that point Dinwiddie sold off most of his investment.

Bitcoin peaked at nearly $20,000 in late December before the tumble began. It’s been around $6,500 of late.

At the same time Dinwiddie’s net worth was taking off, so was his NBA career, and he could be set to cash in at some point in the near future. He’s eligible for an extension from the Nets in December, which could be up to four years and $47 million.

Barring an extension, Dinwiddie is poised to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

The fifth-year veteran also talked about his signature shoe, K8IROS, which will debut this season. Dinwiddie partnered with a company called Project Dream and is at this point the only NBA player to attempt to launch his own shoe without the backing of a major brand.

The basketball thing is working out for Dinwiddie after some rough waters early in his career. Combine that with his business acumen and he’s well on the road to being a player long after he hangs up the sneaks.