Nets nix Carlmelo Anthony deal a big mistake

On Wednesday the New Jersey Nets front office made their intentions be known that they are fed up with pursuing Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony. For months the Nets have tangoed with Denver on a possible trade that would send the superstar to New Jersey, but they could never come to terms on a deal.

For his part Anthony tried to deny rumors that he was going there, raising speculation that he would prefer to go to the Knicks instead.

"I'm not happy with the way ... this deal has gone until now," Russian owner Mikhail 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."

"It's my decision," said Prokhorov, who said the Nets were given permission to speak with Anthony but never got a "straightforward answer" on the specifics of that meeting.

Prokhorov may be a multi-billionaire, and he may be a huge figure in Russia, but here in the U.S. of A, pulling a stunt like this is not going to win the Nets any fans around the league.

You don't go out and hold a press conference publicly decry that you are unhappy that your team can't negotiate a trade and announcing pulling out of the trade. It looks like whining over spilled milk.

The more professional way to handle the rejection of the trade is to either stop answering questions about the Melo deal, or just send out a missive a la George Steinbernner, saying that as of the moment the Nets are out of the Melo deal.

But, no, Prokhorov had to make a spectacle of the matter. If he expects this will encourage the Nuggets to come back to the table he can forget -- he just burned the bridge with his public statements.

Sorry for the 12 people that actually route for the Nets, but it just never gets old does it?