Money won’t be an object for the Nets this summer, be it for a coach or players. That’s what Mikhail Prokhorov taking over means.

The Nets have to use that money wisely and by that we mean they can’t overspend for the likes of Rudy Gay and David Lee. Also, the Nets have to make sure when they go shopping they find a leader.

They were lacking in so many areas during this 70-loss season and leadership ranked right up there.

Back around the time Vince Carter came back to East Rutherford to do his basketball camp last summer we wrote about how hard it would be for the Nets to make up for his leadership. They didn’t and still haven’t.

Devin Harris said all the right things, but he got hurt in training camp and missed most of it. He never was appointed official

The Nets season ended in fitting fashion. At least they had a night out on South Beach. At times, they played like they had a night out on South Beach.

This was a game you thought the Nets would win, especially since the Heat were without Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem and Jermaine O’Neal. But how many times have the Nets not taken advantage of a team without some of its top players? Whatever the number is, add one now.

The Nets should have avoided their 70th defeat. But they were down 13 at the start of the fourth quarter as they played like there was some good times on Ocean Ave or Collins. But hen the Nets put up a fight and made it interesting.

They didn't lose until double overtime, 94-86, and the game wasn't decided until Yakhouba Diawara banked in a three. The last time the

MIAMI –- The Nets’ season ends here, fittingly. It’s one of the places their season ended before it really began.

Miami ranks right behind Minneapolis in that regard. Both places are where the Nets saw their season and any chance having success blow up. Both games ended in last-second shots.

If the Nets beat the Wolves in the opener, they don’t set the record for most losses to start a season. If Dwyane Wade doesn’t bury them in Game 10, then Lawrence Frank still would be coaching, which cannot be minimized.

Honestly, the young players would have gotten more out of this season if they had a coach coaching them. But if it means the Nets wind up with the No. 1 or No. 2 pick -– John Wall or Evan Turner -– then fans and members of the organization

The Nets completed their Western Conference road schedule last night in Houston and remarkably they didn’t win a single game. That’s Oh-and-15 against West teams in their houses.

There were some winnable games overall and certainly on this trip. It wound up that three of the four-games on this trip were winnable. You wouldn’t have thought the Dallas game initially, but the Nets were up 18 in the second period and Dirk Nowitzki was nowhere to be found.

But Memphis, especially without Zach Randolph, was beatable, and certainly Houston was if the Nets were willing to work hard or commit a hard foul. By the way, Luis Scola just scored again.

“We’re disappointed because we played well enough in some of these games to win,” interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe

OKLAHOMA CITY – There were several times in this game when it appeared the Nets were done, especially with Courtney Lee hampered by a sprained right thumb.

The Nets shooting guard has been lights out lately. But Lee couldn’t hit a shot. He actually made two -– both layups, including one at the buzzer.

So when the Thunder were up 16 with two minutes left in the third and 15 with the fourth quarter nearing the midpoint, it looked like the Oklahoma City Thunder were on their way to another win and the Nets another loss.

That wound up happening, but the game was much closer than anyone would have guessed. The Nets lost 104-102, making that their third tough-luck loss on this four-game trip.

“The guys are learning that we’re not good enough to play without a

The best thing for the Nets, after such a tumultuous and trying first half of the season would be to go into the break with a win. Go in a positive, saying they could build off this when they return to action next week.

But the reality is they went into the break exactly how you would have expected them to, with a little help from Mother Nature.

The Nets had played well enough to win more than one of their previous nine games, but last night they reverted back to their old ways. They let an early lead disappear quickly and then the Nets disappeared on both ends of the court in a 97-77 loss to Milwaukee.

The Nets also lost a player to injury – Keyon Dooling – and had a least one more leave the building unhappy – Chris Douglas-Roberts. They also played in front of the

Speculation, rumors and other stories are following the Nets every day. That’s what happens when you’re as bad as they are.

Everyone's waiting for the next trade, coach's departure, controversial Tweet from some of the young players or lengthy losing streak.

The stories will continue leading up to next week’s trade deadline and beyond because there will be an ownership change at some point, with players unhappy if they’re still with the Nets after the trade deadline. And there’s always the chase for infamy -– the worst record in NBA history -– that will gain national attention.

Had the Nets won a few of the close games lately maybe some things would disappear. Certainly the race for the record and the coverage it will receive. But some of the

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -– Jarvis Hayes’ left leg was wrapped in ice as he limped toward the locker room. Moments later, Devin Harris walked in with his left shoulder taped heavily, unable to lift his arm without feeling pain.

The Nets didn’t just fall at the end of last night’s game. They literally fell apart, losing Hayes, Harris and Chris Douglas-Roberts to injury.

The health of Harris and Hayes was of more concern than the 99-92 loss to the Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Both men said it could have been a lot worse -– and they thought it was a lot worse -– so there was more relief than disappointment for another hard-fought loss.

Make that six in a row that the Nets had a chance to get if only they executed and hit shots down the stretch. They

This was the kind of game, and it ended the type of homestand, that teams could look back at as the season winds down and point to as the reason they missed the playoffs.

The Nets may be pointing at Tuesday night, and the past five days, as the reason they own the worst record in NBA history. They still need six more wins to avoid that humiliation.

Win No. 5 on the season was staring right at them, if only. That really is the story of the Nets season, if only.

If only they were healthy for the start of the season, if only they had better players, if only their coach called plays that lead to wins.

The latest disappointment was a 97-93 loss to the Pistons in a game where the Nets were the better team for most of the night.

This is the third straight game the Nets had matched the other